Lionel Messi has ended his time with the Argentine national team. The Albiceleste captain made the announcement on Monday via his Instagram account, closing out an international career spanning more than two decades.
A decision following the World Cup final defeat
The timing of “La Pulga’s” decision is no coincidence. The announcement comes weeks after Argentina’s loss in the final of the latest World Cup, played against Spain in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19. That night was marked by an image that went around the world: Messi in tears at the final whistle, a symbol of a missed chance to claim a second consecutive world title.
The peak already reached in 2022
That defeat stands in contrast to the peak Messi had already reached four years earlier. In 2022, in Qatar, the forward finally lifted the one trophy missing from his massive list of achievements, leading Argentina to victory over France in the final, after previous heartbreaks in 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018.
Uncertainty over the 39-year-old’s international future — he currently plays for Inter Miami — had been building for some time. On several occasions in recent years, Messi had hinted that the 2026 World Cup could be his last major tournament with the national team, though he never formally confirmed his intentions before the competition began.
A historic player for Argentina
Trained at FC Barcelona and with a stint at Paris Saint-Germain, Messi remains one of the greatest players in the history of football and the leader of the golden generation that ended Argentina’s 36-year trophy drought by winning the Copa América in 2021, before conquering the world in 2022. His retirement closes the international chapter of a career marked by records and multiple Ballon d’Or titles.
