Officially.. Messi announces his retirement from international football - Sarmad
Veteran Argentine star Lionel Messi, the forward for U.S. club Inter Miami, announced his retirement from international football after a long and glittering career with his national team.
Messi wrote in a lengthy statement on his official social media accounts: “After all this time since the final (of the 2026 World Cup), and after deep reflection, I want to announce to you all my retirement from international play with the national team…”
The 39-year-old veteran continued: “It was a painful decision, and it still breaks my heart, but I realize it is the right time. I swear to you that I have always given everything I had, not only during the recent years when we won everything, but even before that. I have always fought and done my utmost for this shirt, to give you joy and make you proud to be Argentines through football.”
He added, “There isn’t much left, and pages are closing one by one, and this particular page is very hard for me to close. I loved, I love, and I will always love being part of the national team. I have emptied everything I had, and there is nothing left for me to give, especially with promising young talents coming up from behind who deserve this opportunity.”
He concluded, “Thank you for all this love over the past 20 years. I will miss hearing your cheers while I am on the pitch. Now I will become one of you, cheering and supporting always from the outside (in good times and bad).”
Messi added, “Thank you to my family for always being by my side and accompanying me on this beautiful yet difficult journey. Thank you to every coach, teammate, and official who shared this journey with me. I keep within me unforgettable memories and moments.”
Messi ended his message by noting, “I wrote these words on July 21, two days after the final. Today, after what happened to my father (who passed away on August 8), I am more convinced than ever about this decision.”
Messi recently won the Copa América title twice with his national team, in 2021 and 2024, in addition to the 2022 World Cup title. He lost the 2026 World Cup final to Spain 1-0 after extra time on July 19.
Before these achievements, “Leo” lost three consecutive finals with the Argentine national team: the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, and the Copa América in 2015 and 2016. This led him to announce his retirement from international football at the time due to the intense pressure he was under, before he reversed his decision and chose to continue his career with the Albiceleste.
