The record
Written from the 1 report below. Nothing here is unsourced.
- Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football through a post on Instagram, saying the decision pains him but the time has come and he has nothing left to give the national team.
- The announcement follows the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico, where Argentina lost the final to Spain, though Messi scored eight goals, gave four assists and led the team to a second consecutive final.
- The 39-year-old leaves as Argentina's all-time top scorer with 125 goals in 207 matches and its most-capped player, having won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
- He wrote his retirement message on July 21, two days after the final, and said his father Jorge's recent death made him even more certain of the decision.
What to watch next
- How Argentina's young players step up to fill the void Messi leaves in the national team
- Whether Messi continues his club career after stepping away from international football
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Named Argentina · United States · Canada · Mexico · Instagram · Lionel Messi · World Cup
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