Between August 14 and September 1, 2026, Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football after a decades-long career with Argentina. The Argentine legend, who won the 2022 World Cup and scored 125 international goals, was widely praised by peers and fans.
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Argentina's Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football.
Argentina great Lionel Messi announces his retirement from international football, saying it was a decision that "hurt" but he understands "the time has come".
The Argentine legend announced that he will not play for the national team again, ending an illustrious international career.
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Lionel Messi said on Monday he is retiring from international football after leading Argentina to a second successive World Cup final in July.
In an Instagram post, Messi said: “I leave with the peace of mind and pride of having given you – alongside my teammates – moments we once only dreamed of.”
Messi led Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022, but his side lost 1-0 to Spain in the 2026 final.
Lionel Messi has decided to retire from international football at 39, marking the end of an extraordinary era for Argentina. After an impressive career spanning nearly two decades, Messi guided his national team to triumph in the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup, as well as reaching the final of the 2026 World Cup. His departure signifies a deeply emotional farewell to a remarkable journey
Lionel Messi announced Monday that he is retiring from international football, ending a 21-year Argentina career that included the 2022 World Cup title in Qatar and a run to the 2026 World Cup final as captain [pbs.org#1][bbc.co.uk#1][npr.org#1][sportsnet.ca#1][aaj.tv#1]. The 39-year-old wrote on Instagram that the decision “hurt” but that “the time has come,” and said he had given everything to t
AP: Argentina star Lionel Messi retires from international soccer with World Cup title and 125 goals https:// apnews.com/article/messi-argen tina-retires-8df27ab2059a740ea5bc97dbc6a49725 @ AssociatedPress
Messi retires as one of the greatest players of all time after a glittering and decades-long career for Argentina.
A by-the-numbers look at Messi’s international career with Argentina, including his individual and team honours.