Lionel Messi announces international retirement as Argentina icon makes "nothing left to give" admission

By Ben Sully | 31 Aug 2026 18:03, Last updated: 31 Aug 2026 18:05

Argentina fable Lionel Messi has announced his status from planetary shot successful a connection connected Instagram.

Messi played a cardinal relation successful Argentina's tally to the 2026 World Cup final, scoring 8 goals and providing 4 assists successful 8 appearances astatine the tournament.

The 39-year-old has present confirmed that the 1-0 decision to Spain successful the last was his past quality for his country, announcing his status from planetary shot successful an affectional societal media.

Messi explained that the hard quality of the decision, but admitted that helium had "nothing near to give" for his state astatine this precocious signifier of his career.

Messi announces status from planetary football

"After the clip that has passed since the final, and aft giving it a batch of thought, I privation to fto everyone cognize that I americium retiring from the nationalist team," Messi wrote.

"It was a determination that hurt-and inactive hurts heavy down - but I recognize that the clip has come.

"I curse to you that I ever gave it my all-not conscionable successful these past fewer years erstwhile we won everything, but earlier that too; I ever fought and near everything connected the tract for this jersey, to bring you joyousness and marque you consciousness arrogant to beryllium Argentine done football.

"Time is moving short, chapters travel to a close, and this is 1 that hurts maine deeply. I love, person loved, and volition ever emotion being portion of the nationalist team. 

"I've fixed everything I had; I person thing near to give, and besides, determination are immoderate large young players coming up who merit to beryllium here.

"Now I'll beryllium conscionable 1 of you" 

"Thank you for each the affection implicit these past 20 years. I volition miss proceeding you from the transportation truthful much. Now I'll beryllium conscionable 1 of you, cheering and supporting from the extracurricular (through the bully times and the atrocious - particularly the bad).

"Thank you to my household for ever being there, for accompanying maine connected this travel - truthful beautiful, yet truthful difficult. Thank you to each coach, teammate, and authoritative I've shared this way with. I instrumentality with maine unforgettable memories and moments.

"I permission with the bid of caput and pridefulness of having fixed you-alongside my teammates-moments we erstwhile lone dreamed of. It was an unthinkable acquisition to unrecorded this with you all. I emotion you!

"Thank you, God, for making maine Argentine. Let's go, Argentina!"

The Inter Miami prima revealed earlier successful August that helium was unsure however overmuch longer helium could proceed his playing vocation pursuing the decease of his begetter Jorge Messi. 

Messi revealed that helium primitively wrote his status connection 2 days aft the World Cup final.

"Today, aft what happened with my dad, I americium adjacent much convinced than before," helium added astatine the extremity of his Instagram post. 

End of an epoch for Argentina 

Messi's determination represents the closing of an unforgettable section for the Argentina nationalist team, who volition beryllium incapable to telephone upon the game's greatest-ever subordinate for the archetypal clip since 2005.

The erstwhile Barcelona prima finished his planetary vocation with Argentina's goalscoring and quality record, aft netting 125 goals successful 207 appearances for his country.

Messi netted 21 goals successful 34 World Cup matches, making him the second-highest scorer successful the competition's history.

He racked up 7 of those goals erstwhile helium led his state to World Cup glory successful Qatar 2022, ending his country's 36-year hold for football's biggest trophy.

Messi besides helped Argentina triumph the Copa America successful 2021 and 2022, arsenic good arsenic the Finalissima against Italy successful 2022.