Lionel Messi Calls Time on International Career at 39: ‘The Right Moment’

Lionel Messi has played his last match for Argentina. The 39-year-old announced his retirement from international football on Monday, August 31, in a deeply emotional Instagram statement.

“After all this time since the final, and after thinking about it a lot, I want to tell everyone that I’m retiring from the national team,” he wrote. “It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep inside, but I understand that this is the right moment.”

His move ends a 21-year run with the national team, including the 2022 World Cup title and a runner-up finish this summer. Argentina fell 1-0 to Spain in extra time in the 2026 World Cup final, and the statement came six weeks later.

“I swear I always gave everything, not only in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too,” Messi wrote. “I always fought and gave everything for this shirt, to bring you happiness and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football.”

The timing follows the death of Messi’s father, Jorge, who died on August 8 at age 68 after a prolonged illness. Jorge managed his son’s career for decades and was a constant presence at his matches.

After years of criticism for falling short with Argentina, Messi led the national team through one of its most successful periods, winning the 2022 World Cup and back-to-back Copa América titles.