Lionel Messi announces retirement from Argentina National team at 39

Argentina football legend Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from the national team at the age of 39 bringing an extraordinary international career spanning more than two decades to an end.

Argentina football legend Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from the national team at the age of 39 bringing an extraordinary international career spanning more than two decades to an end.

Messi said in a statement that he had made the decision after considerable thought and reflection. He described the decision as painful, acknowledging that he still feels emotional about leaving the national team but said he believes the time has come to step away.

Messi leaves Argentina as the country’s all-time leading goal scorer and one of the most decorated players in international football. According to the Argentine Football Association he has made 200 international appearances and scored 120 goals for his country.

The highlight of Messi’s international career came in 2022 when he captained Argentina to victory at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The triumph completed his long-awaited quest for the biggest international trophy and cemented his status as one of football’s greatest players.

Argentina finished as runners-up at the 2026 World Cup after which Messi had already indicated that the tournament would be his final appearance at the World Cup. His latest announcement now marks a broader departure from international football.

Messi’s relationship with Argentina’s national team has included both remarkable triumphs and difficult moments. In 2016, he announced his retirement from international football after Argentina lost to Chile in the Copa América final.

However, Messi reversed that decision only a few weeks later and returned to represent his country. His comeback eventually led to the most successful period of his international career which included Copa América glory and the 2022 World Cup title.

This time, his statement appears to indicate that the decision is permanent. After years of representing Argentina at the highest level, Messi is now set to close one of the most remarkable chapters in his football career.

His departure would leave a huge void in the Argentina national team, given his goalscoring record, leadership and influence on the pitch. For more than 20 years, Messi has been a central figure in Argentine football and has represented the country across multiple World Cups and Copa América tournaments.

From early disappointment to World Cup glory his international journey has been defined by persistence and resilience.

Messi’s retirement marks the end of an era for Argentina and international football. His legacy includes record-breaking goals historic victories and a World Cup triumph that finally fulfilled one of the greatest ambitions of his career.