Lionel Messi retires from Argentina national team after 207 caps and 125 goals

Instagram announcement and final tournament

Lionel Messi announced his retirement from the Argentina national football team on Monday through a message published on his Instagram account. The 39-year-old forward played his final international match on 19 July 2026, when Argentina lost 0-1 to Spain after extra time in the World Cup final at East Rutherford. Messi explained that he originally wrote his farewell statement on 21 July, two days after the tournament decider, but chose to release it six weeks later. His decision follows six appearances at the World Cup across a national team career that began in 2005.

Messi explained his emotional state and his view on stepping aside for the next generation of Argentine footballers.

It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep down, but I understand that the time has come. I swear to you that I always gave it my all, not just in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too; I always fought and left everything on the field for this jersey, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football.

International record and tournament achievements

Messi concludes his international career as Argentina's all-time leader in both caps and scoring, registering 125 goals and 68 assists in 207 appearances. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner captained Argentina to victory at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, securing the nation's first title since 1986, and also lifted the Copa America trophy in 2021 and 2024. During the 2026 tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Messi scored eight goals and provided four assists, finishing as the second most prolific scorer behind France's Kylian Mbappe, who scored ten.

Both Messi and Mbappe surpassed the previous World Cup all-time benchmark of 16 goals held by German forward Miroslav Klose during the 2026 competition.

Family bereavement and club commitments

The decision to finalize his international departure was confirmed following the death of his father and agent, Jorge Messi, who died at age 68 on 8 August 2026 in Rosario after a prolonged illness. Messi previously retired from the national side in 2016 before reversing his decision ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Argentine Football Association president Claudio Tapia shared words of appreciation for the departing captain following the conclusion of the campaign.

There are no words in the dictionary that would be enough to thank you for everything you have given us, Captain. Thank you for every joy you wrote into our souls, for every tear of pride, and for carrying our flag to the top of the world.

At club level, Messi continues playing for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami, where his current contract runs until the end of the 2028 season. The forward moved to the American club in 2023 following two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain and a 15-year senior spell at Barcelona, where he collected ten Spanish league titles and four UEFA Champions League trophies. Following his father's death, Messi noted that he had evaluated his future in professional football.