Tuesday, September 1, 2026 - Argentina great Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football,
He noted in his Instagram post, which featured a photo of a
handwritten message across three pieces of notebook paper, that he wrote those
words on July 21, two days after Argentina’s loss to Spain.
Messi’s decision comes more than three weeks after his
father, Jorge, died at 68 following a battle with an illness.
The 39-year-old, who captained Argentina to World Cup glory
in Qatar in 2022, has scored 125 goals in 207 appearances, making him the
country's all-time leading scorer and most-capped player.
“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.
“I swear I always gave everything, not only in these last few
years when we won everything, but before that too. I always fought and gave
everything for this shirt, to bring you happiness and make you feel proud to be
Argentine through football.
“There isn’t much time left, and different chapters are
coming to an end. This is one that hurts me a lot. I love, I loved, and I will
always love being part of the national team. I gave everything I had, and I
don’t have anything more to give.
“Also, there are great young players coming through who
deserve to be here.
“Thank you for all the love during these 20 years. I’m going
to miss hearing you from the inside. Now I’ll be one of you, always supporting
from the outside, in the good times and even more in the bad ones.
“Thank you to my family for always being there and for being
with me throughout this beautiful but difficult journey. Thank you to every
coach, teammate and director I had the chance to share it with. I take with me
unforgettable memories and moments.
“I leave with peace and pride, knowing that together with my
teammates we gave you moments we once dreamed of. It was crazy to experience
all of this with you. I love you!
“Thank you
God, for making me Argentine.
“Vamos Argentina!
“I wrote these words on July 21, two days after the final.
Today, after what happened with my dad, I’m even more convinced of this
decision than before.”
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