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Argentina star Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, following the team’s defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.
Messi shared a handwritten note on his Instagram Page confirming his departure from international duty.
He revealed he initially wrote the letter on June 21, two days after the World Cup final, but delayed publishing it due to his father Jorge Messi’s declining health and subsequent passing on August 8.
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The social media post said: “After the time that has passed since the final, and after giving it a lot of thought, I want to let everyone know that I am retiring from the Argentina national team…
“It was a decision that hurt — and still hurts deep down — but I understand that the time has come. 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.
“Time is running short, chapters come to a close, and this is one that hurts me deeply. I love, have loved, and will always love being part of the national team. I’ve given everything I had; I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are some great young players coming up who deserve to be here.
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“Thank you for all the affection over these past 20 years. I will miss hearing you from the pitch so much. Now I’ll be just one of you, cheering and supporting from the outside (through the good times and the bad — especially the bad).
“Thank you to my family for always being there, for accompanying me on this journey — so beautiful, yet so difficult. Thank you to every coach, teammate, and official I’ve shared this path with. I take with me unforgettable memories and moments.
“I leave with the peace of mind and pride of having given you — alongside my teammates — moments we once only dreamed of. It was an incredible experience to live this with you all. I love you!
“Thank you, God, for making me Argentine.
“Let’s go, Argentina!
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“*I wrote these words on July 21st, two days after the final. Today, after what happened with my dad, I am even more convinced than before.”
He finishes his international career with 125 goals in 207 appearances, having led Argentina to victory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, alongside two Copa América titles.
Messi has not announced any immediate plans to retire from club football and continues to play for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami CF, where he recently scored four goals in a 7-1 win against CF Montréal.
1 Comment
Messi, Messi, oh Messi!
Argie has officially entered ONE CHANCE.
WIth Messi now out of the picture, they are like a toothless wolf.
The name Argentina is intimidating, but the bite is gone.
Still a good team, but their X factor, the man who makes the difference when the going is tough, is no longer there.
With Messi, Nigeria always loses to Argie. But without Messi, a Siasia tutored SE spanked Argie 4-1. Rohr masterminded a 4-2 drubbing of Argie. And they had all of their other mega stars on the pitch. It just illustrates how vulnerable Argie are without their talisman LA PULGA.
Unlike Nigerian officials, Messi knows when to throw in the towel.
He.s had a glittering international career. Won the U-20 world cup, the real world cup for the big boys, won Olympic gold, and won the Copa America. What more can Argentina ask from him?
And for club, multiple Champion’s league trophies, domestic leagues, and other trophies. His trophy cabinet needs to be expanded regularly to accommodate all the trophies!
Fare well, merciless maestro Messi! Fare thee well! That is, from international football.
We will still continue to enjoy his mastery of the beautiful game for a little while longer, until he finally hangs his legendary boots.