Lionel Messi announces retirement from international football
What's the story
Lionel Messi, the legendary Argentine footballer, has announced his retirement from international football. The Inter Miami star confirmed his decision in an emotional social media post. He said that leaving was a painful but right decision for him. Messi expressed his love for the national team and commitment to giving his all during his career with them. The captain also noted that younger players deserve opportunities to represent Argentina on the global stage.
Record breaker
Messi's illustrious World Cup career
Messi has had an illustrious FIFA World Cup career, winning nearly every major title in club and international football.
He has set numerous all-time records during the tournament, surpassing legends like Pele, Diego Maradona, and Zinedine Zidane.
This makes him one of the most decorated players in World Cup history.
Retirement announcement
Painful decision but right time to step away: Messi
In his retirement message, Messi said he had spent a lot of time thinking about his future after the team's last final.
He admitted that leaving was a painful decision but felt it was the right time to step away from international football.
"After all this time that has passed since the final, and after much thought, I want to announce to everyone that I am retiring from the National Team," he wrote.
Personal reflections
I always gave my all for the jersey, says Messi
Messi reflected on his journey with the national team, saying he always gave his all for the jersey.
"I swear that I always gave my all, not just in the last few years when we won everything, but before that too," he said.
He added that there are great young players coming up who deserve to be there.
Personal challenges
Loss of father impacted Messi's performance
Messi's retirement statement comes months after he lost his father, who was his emotional anchor and agent since childhood.
The soccer icon broke down in tears after scoring against Algeria, admitting to dealing with "a situation outside of sports."
He later expressed gratitude to the entire delegation and his teammates for their support during those difficult days.
Twitter Post
Here is the statement!
🚨🚨🚨💣 LEO MESSI STATEMENT:
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) August 31, 2026
“After all this time since the final, and after thinking about it a lot, I want to tell everyone that I’m retiring from the national team…
"It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep inside, but I understand that this is the right moment.… pic.twitter.com/42A3dSTDOQ
Tally
Second-most goals in international football
Messi bows out with 125 international goals across 207 appearances for Argentina — the second-most of all-time.
He is only behind arch-rival and Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo, who netted 146 goals.
Messi's tally also includes 68 assists.
The Argentina star, featured across six FIFA World Cup editions, recorded 21 goals in the competition from 34 matches.
Only France's Kylian Mbappé has netted more (22).
Messi played three FIFA WC finals, ending on the winning side just once (2022).