Lionel Messi Retires From Argentina National Team After 2026 FIFA World Cup Final Loss
- Messi announced his retirement from the Argentina national team on Instagram weeks after the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner revealed he had written his retirement statement just two days after the World Cup final loss
- Messi's father's death played a role in his final decision to step away from international football for good
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Legit.ng as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Lionel Messi has officially retired from the Argentina national team, ending an international career that spanned decades and produced some of football's most celebrated moments.
The 37-year-old shared the news on his Instagram page weeks after Argentina lost the 2026 FIFA World Cup final to Spain in the United States. Messi said the decision had not been easy, but that he believed the moment was right.
Source: Getty Images
“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…," he wrote.
“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!”
Messi disclosed that he had actually drafted the retirement statement two days after the World Cup final. The subsequent death of his father further cemented his resolve to step away from international duty permanently.
This is not the first time Messi had considered retirement from the national side. He had previously walked away from international football before returning on each occasion, but this announcement appears to carry a sense of finality that his earlier decisions did not.
A record-breaking international career
According to the Ballon d'Or, Messi scored 125 goals across 207 matches for Argentina, a record that underlines the scale of his contribution to the national side over the years.
His international haul includes two Copa América titles, won in 2021 and 2024, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and the Finalissima. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner had made it his mission to deliver a major trophy with Argentina, something that eluded him for years.
The 2026 World Cup final defeat to Spain in the United States proved to be his last appearance in the sky-blue and white of Argentina, bringing the curtain down on one of the most decorated international careers in the history of the sport.
Di Maria sends message to Messi
Legit.ng previously reported that Angel Di Maria sent a message to Lionel Messi regarding his international future after the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
Di Maria, who retired from international football after the 2024 Copa America, urged Messi to continue for as long as he wants with the team.
Source: Legit.ng
