Lionel Messi ends his international career with Argentina Team: “I have nothing left to give and we still have great young players coming up.”
After more than twenty years with Argentina team, Lionel Messi finally announced his international retirement on Monday at the age of 39. The Albiceleste captain team, the team’s all-time leading goals scorer and most-capped player, leaves the national team with a World Cup title to his record.
Lionel Messi will no longer wear the Argentina jersey shirt. Two days after the 2026 World Cup final competition loss to Spain (0-1, after extra time) , the Argentine captain confirmed he had decided to end his international game career, though he hadn’t made it public yet, as he wrote in his statement. He officially announced it this Monday, after much deliberation.
“After all this time since the final World Cup, after much reflection, I want to announce to you all that I am retiring from international football competition,” Messi wrote on Instagram. A decision that “hurts him immensely,” but one he now considers necessary. “I’ve given my all, I have nothing left to give to my national team, and besides, great young players are coming up behind me who deserve to be here,” he explained.
At 39 years, Messi thus closes the longest chapter of his football career. First called up in 2005, he played 207 matches for Argentina and scored 125 goals, making him the most capped player and top goal scorer in the history of the Albiceleste. Most importantly, he won the major trophies that had eluded him, the Copa America in 2021 and 2024, and also the World Cup in 2022.
His last tournament was once again up to his status. Captain of Argentina at the 2026 World Cup competitions, Messi scored eight goals, finishing as the World Cup second top goal scorer behind Kylian Mbappé, and provided four assists, before losing in the final match against Spain (0-1 aet) .
He clarified that he confirmed his decision to retire after losing his father, Jorge Messi . “Today, after what happened to my father, I am even more convinced of my decision,” he wrote, before concluding with a few words addressed to his country and the World: “Thank you God for making me Argentinian. Go Argentina!”
