Lionel Messi Retires From Argentina Duty After 2026 World Cup

Lionel Messi has retired from international football following Argentina's run to the 2026 World Cup final, ending a national-team career crowned by victory at the 2022 tournament. The Guardian reported that the 39-year-old announced his decision on Instagram on Monday through a handwritten statement.

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Messi said the decision remained painful but that he understood the time had come to step away. According to the Guardian, he wrote the letter two days after Argentina's World Cup final defeat by Spain on July 19, then published it after taking time to reflect. His announcement confirmed that the end of Argentina's tournament would also be his final appearance for the national side.

The decision does not mark Messi's retirement from football altogether. He remains active with Inter Miami and scored four goals for the Major League Soccer club over the weekend, the Guardian reported. His departure applies only to Argentina, separating the close of his international career from his continuing club commitments.

Tributes arrived quickly from teammates. Cristian Romero acknowledged that the day everyone had hoped to avoid had arrived, while Giovani Lo Celso reflected on nine years spent listening to, admiring and learning from Messi. Nico Paz recalled watching Messi with his father as a young child and wondering whether he might one day be able to share the field with him.

The response extended well beyond the squad. In Buenos Aires, a red telephone was placed on a street corner with an invitation for passersby to leave messages for Messi. Supporters of different generations used it to express gratitude, sadness and affection, illustrating the scale of his place in Argentina's sporting culture.

Messi previously stepped away from Argentina in 2016 before reversing that decision. This time, his statement closes the era in which he led the country to the 2022 World Cup title. Argentina now moves toward its next international fixtures without the player who defined the national team for a generation, while Messi continues his career in Miami.