Lionel Messi announces international retirement: the Argentine star won the 2022 World Cup and was runner-up in 2026
Messi, long criticized for his inability to win anything with the national team, led the team to a historic run over the past five years, including winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup, sandwiched between two Copa America titles and then a second-place finish at last summer’s 2026 World Cup.
For almost two decades, Messi’s genius was undisputed at club level, but questioned on the international stage. Messi’s journey with the Argentine national team was one of frustration, redemption and, ultimately, glory, and will forever remain one of the great narrative arcs in sports history.
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This is what Messi published on social networks:
“After all this time since the final, and after thinking about it a lot, I want to tell everyone that I am retiring from the national team. It was a decision that hurt me and still hurts me deep down, but I understand that this is the moment. I swear that I always gave everything, not only in these last years when we won everything, but before too. I always fought and gave everything for this shirt, to bring you happiness and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football. There is not much time left, and they are running out different chapters, this is one that hurts me a lot, I love, I loved and I will always love being part of the team, I gave everything I had and I have nothing more to give. In addition, great players are arriving who deserve to be here, in the good times and even more so in the bad ones. Thank you God for making me Argentine.
He then added: “I wrote these words on July 21, two days after the final. Today, after what happened with my dad, I am even more convinced of this decision than before.”
The long wait
When Messi made his senior debut for Argentina in 2005, the nation had not lifted a trophy since the 1993 Copa América, a drought stretching back to when Messi was still in primary school. And because of how his career started, things weren’t looking so good. Sure, there was incredible hype around a player who had fans dreaming of a Diego Maradona-like impact, but his friendly debut against Hungary lasted just 43 seconds after receiving a red card.
Soon after, just how special a player he would be was evident to all who watched him as he became the best player on the planet at Barcelona, although the burden of ending Argentina’s drought fell squarely on his shoulders. It took him 17 years and he almost ruined it.
Messi lost the Copa América finals in 2007, 2015 and 2016, as well as the 2014 World Cup final against Germany. The 2016 defeat, decided on penalties against Chile, pushed him to the limit. Devastated, Messi announced his retirement from international soccer on the spot, declaring his time with the national team over in an emotional interview in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Retirement didn’t last. Weeks later, after an outpouring of fans and a personal appeal, Messi changed course and said he loved the shirt and the country too much to leave.
Breaking step
The reward finally came in 2021. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Messi captained Argentina in the Copa América, defeating host country Brazil 1-0 at the Maracaná, the same stadium where Argentina had suffered painful defeats before. Ángel Di María scored the only goal and Messi cried on the field afterwards, finally champion in the colors of Argentina and consolidating his legacy with the long-awaited continental glory, one that had slipped through his fingers many times.
The 2022 World Cup and the biggest debate in history
Simply put, 2022 was the coronation. Messi led Argentina to the World Cup title in Qatar, delivering one of the greatest individual performances in a tournament ever, capped by a classic final against France that Argentina won on penalties after a 3-3 draw. The triumph ended a 36-year World Cup drought and, in the eyes of many, cemented Messi as the greatest player of all time, closing the latest gap on a resume that already included seven Ballon d’Or awards, four Champions League titles and 10 La Liga crowns won during his transformative career at Barcelona, where he rose through La Masia to become the club’s all-time leading scorer and one of the most decorated in the history of football.
However, things didn’t start so well, with a surprising defeat against Saudi Arabia. But of course, Argentina was not far behind in the rest of the tournament, beating Mexico, Poland, Australia, Holland, Croatia and France to reach the top of international football.
coming to america
In 2023, Messi shocked the soccer world by choosing Inter Miami over lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia, joining MLS in a move that reshaped the profile of American soccer. He delivered immediately, winning the Leagues Cup in his first weeks and then an MLS Cup, while drawing record crowds and global attention to the league.
He added a second consecutive Copa América in 2024 and led Argentina back to the World Cup final in 2026, extending a career defined by perseverance, one that turned 17 years of near-misses and a retirement scare into a legacy that will forever stand the test of time.
Now, his sole focus will be on his Inter Miami club career, but it remains to be seen how much time he has left after Monday’s monumental announcement.
