Lionel Messi Retires From International Football at 39: Check His Career, Records, Achievements and Retirement

Lionel Messi, one of the greatest football players in the world, has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 39.

Messi has spent more than two decades playing for Argentina. During this time, he became the country's most capped player and its highest goalscorer. He also helped Argentina win several major tournaments at the FIFA World Cup.

Messi finished his international career with 207 appearances and 125 goals for Argentina. No Argentine player has played more matches or scored more goals for the national team.

Lionel Messi Retirement: Key Details

 

 

 

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Why Did Lionel Messi Retire?

Messi said that the decision was not easy for him.

He explained that he had thought about retirement after Argentina's World Cup final. He also said that the death of his father, Jorge Messi, made him even more certain about his decision.

Messi's father died in August 2026 after a long illness. Jorge had also played an important role in Messi's career and had worked as his agent.

Messi said he felt that he had given everything he could to the Argentina national team. He also pointed to the young players coming through who deserve an opportunity to represent the country.

Messi's Major International Records

Messi leaves Argentina with a remarkable list of records.

Most Matches for Argentina

Messi played 207 international matches for Argentina. This makes him the most-capped player in the history of the Argentina men's national team.

Most Goals for Argentina

Messi scored 125 goals for Argentina. He is also the country's all-time leading goalscorer.

World Cup Winner

One of the biggest moments of Messi's career came in 2022, when he captained Argentina to the FIFA World Cup title in Qatar.

The victory was especially important because winning the World Cup had been one of the biggest goals of Messi's career.

Copa America Winner

Messi also helped Argentina win the Copa America in 2021 and 2024.

Finalissima Winner

In 2022, Messi captained Argentina to victory in the Finalissima, where Argentina defeated the European champions Italy. This added another international trophy to his collection.

Messi's International Career at a Glance

Messi's eight Ballon d'Or awards are another sign of his long and successful football career.

His Final World Cup

The 2026 World Cup was expected to be Messi's final appearance in the tournament because of his age.

Argentina reached the final but lost 1-0 to Spain after extra time. Ferran Torres scored the winning goal for Spain.

For Messi, the defeat was a painful ending to his World Cup journey. He later said that he had tried to push his physical limits during the final but could not produce the performance he wanted.

 

 

 

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His Career is Filled With Big Achievements 

Messi's international journey was not always easy. Before winning major trophies with Argentina, he experienced several difficult defeats with the national team.

However, he continued playing for Argentina and eventually achieved his biggest goals.

He won the Copa America in 2021, the Finalissima in 2022, the World Cup in 2022 and another Copa America in 2024.

Now, at 39, Messi has decided to close this chapter of his career.

Lionel Messi's retirement from international football marks the end of one of the longest and most successful careers in Argentina's football history.

With 207 matches and 125 goals, he leaves as Argentina's most-capped player and highest goalscorer. He also leaves after winning the World Cup, two Copa America titles and the Finalissima.

For millions of football fans, Messi will not simply be remembered for his goals and trophies. His long journey with Argentina, the difficult moments he faced and his return to win major titles made his international career special.

His decision means Argentina will now begin a new chapter without the player who wore the national shirt for more than 20 years.