Lionel Messi, one of soccer’s most celebrated figures, is stepping away from Argentina’s national team, bringing a close to an international career that stretched across nearly 20 years.
Over that remarkable run, Messi appeared in six World Cups and delivered Argentina its long-awaited triumph at the 2022 tournament in Qatar. This summer, he returned to the sport’s biggest stage with La Albiceleste, reaching the final before the team fell to Spain.
“It was a decision that hurt — and still hurts deeply — but I understand that the time has come,” Messi said in an Instagram post Monday. “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.”
His decision arrives only weeks after a deeply personal loss: his father, Jorge Messi, died on Aug. 8 at age 68.
In a message shared Monday, Messi revealed that he had first written his retirement letter on June 21, just two days after Argentina’s World Cup final defeat at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Following his father’s death, Messi said he struggled to find a way forward, writing that he “didn’t know how to keep going,” and adding that soccer had been the one constant in his life — though he now has “serious doubts” about how much longer he will continue playing.
On Monday, he said the events surrounding his father had only strengthened his resolve: “Today, after everything with my dad, I am even more convinced than before.”
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Messi, now 39, first played for Argentina’s senior national team in 2006 and used his farewell message to express gratitude to the supporters who followed him throughout his international journey.
“Thank you for all the love these past 20 years,” Messi wrote. “I’m going to miss hearing you all from the inside so much. Now I’m going to be one of you, cheering and supporting you from the outside — through thick and thin, even more so.”
“I leave with the peace of mind and pride of having given you — along with my teammates — moments we once only dreamed of. Experiencing this with you was incredible. I love you all,” he added.
Messi currently plays club soccer for Inter Miami after 17 seasons with Barcelona FC and a brief stint with Paris Saint-Germain. In his post, Messi did not say how long he will continue to play professional soccer.
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