Messi retires from Argentina duty after World Cup loss

Lionel Messi has retired from international football. The 39-year-old Argentine icon made the announcement on Monday, 31 August 2026, seven weeks after captaining his country to a World Cup final defeat against Spain in the United States. He said the decision hurt him deeply but that his time with the national team had come to a close.

Messi's retirement statement and the influence of his father

Messi posted a picture of handwritten notes on Instagram to confirm his decision. He revealed he wrote the notes on 21 July, just two days after the World Cup final loss. The death of his father, Jorge, in early August made him feel "more convinced than before" about stepping away. In his statement, Messi said he had "emptied" himself for Argentina and now had nothing more to give. He thanked his family for their support on what he called a beautiful but difficult journey and pointed to the emergence of great young players as a reason to pass the torch.

A career of unprecedented success and a near miss

His international retirement marks the end of a story that almost concluded a decade earlier. After missing a penalty in a Copa America final shootout loss to Chile on 26 June 2016, a devastated Messi announced he was quitting the national team. He felt he had failed when it mattered most, having also lost the 2014 World Cup final. That initial retirement lasted only six weeks. He reversed his decision on 12 August 2016 and embarked on a final, glorious decade. Since that U-turn, Messi played 94 more times for Argentina, scoring 70 goals and lifting four major trophies including the 2022 World Cup and Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024.

The numbers behind an iconic international career

Messi's Argentina career spanned 21 years from his debut in 2005. He finishes as the country's all-time leading scorer with 125 goals and its most-capped player with 207 appearances. His debut was famously brief; he was sent off less than a minute after coming on as a substitute against Hungary. He retires having scored a combined 921 goals for his clubs and country. His club future remains with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, where his contract runs until the end of the 2028 season.

• Messi retires as Argentina's record scorer (125 goals) and most-capped player (207 games).
• He reversed a 2016 retirement to win the 2022 World Cup and two Copa America titles.
• His father's death in August 2026 solidified his decision to step away.
• He will continue playing for Inter Miami, with his contract lasting until 2028.