Football icon Lionel Messi has announced his second retirement from the Argentina national team, bringing an end to a remarkable 21-year tenure with ‘La Albiceleste’. The announcement was made on August 31, 2026, marking a poignant close to an international career that solidified his status as one of the greatest players in the sport’s history, most notably by leading Argentina to a historic FIFA World Cup victory in 2022.
The 39-year-old Inter Miami forward conveyed this significant decision through a heartfelt message posted on his Instagram account. Messi described the choice as an ‘extremely painful decision’ but acknowledged that ‘the time has come.’ In his emotional statement, he affirmed his unwavering commitment throughout his time with the national squad: “I swear to you that I always tried my best, not only in the last few years when we won everything, but even before that. I always fought and sacrificed everything on the field for this jersey to bring you joy and make you proud to be Argentine through football.”
This is not the first time Messi has stepped away from international duty. A decade prior, following Argentina’s defeat to Chile in the 2016 Copa América final via a penalty shootout—where Messi himself missed a crucial spot-kick—he had immediately declared his retirement. However, he later reversed that decision, returning to guide the national team to unprecedented success, including lifting the 2022 FIFA World Cup trophy and securing two Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024.
Messi’s second and seemingly final international retirement comes just over a month after Argentina finished as runner-up in the 2026 World Cup, falling to Spain in the final. His illustrious career with Argentina concludes with an impressive record of 207 appearances and 125 goals. Furthermore, the former Barcelona and PSG star now shares the record for the most World Cup appearances in history, having played in six tournaments (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026), a feat he shares with Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
While retiring from the national team, Messi is not withdrawing from professional football entirely. He will continue his club career with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS), where his current contract extends until the end of the 2028 season.
