Lionel Messi says he is retiring from the Argentina national soccer team

Lionel Messi has said he will retire from Argentina’s national soccer team, ending an international career that stretched across nearly two decades. The announcement closes a major chapter for Argentina, a country whose recent soccer highs were closely tied to Messi’s leadership and performances for the national side.

Messi revealed the decision in an Instagram post on Monday. He said the choice had caused him deep pain, but added that “the time has come.” His message presented the departure as an acceptance that his period with the team had reached its endpoint, rather than as a sudden or casual exit.

During his Argentina career, Messi played at six World Cups. That record included the 2022 tournament in Qatar, where he led Argentina to the championship. The victory delivered the sport’s biggest international prize to Argentina during Messi’s time in the squad and became the central achievement of his years in the national jersey.

The national team’s latest campaign also provided a reminder of how recently Messi remained involved at the highest level. Argentina reached a final this summer, with Messi part of the squad, but Spain won the deciding match. That defeat is the immediate competitive context for an announcement that follows both a historic triumph and a recent setback.

In his post, Messi said his commitment to Argentina had extended beyond the years in which the team won its biggest honors. He said he had always fought for the shirt and left everything on the field, seeking to bring happiness to supporters and make Argentines feel proud through soccer. The statement emphasized service over the whole course of his international career.

For Argentina’s fans, the news is likely to carry two strong emotions at once. There is the memory of Qatar, where Messi led the team to a World Cup title, and there is the recognition that a player who appeared in six editions of the tournament will no longer be available for the national side. His departure changes the team’s relationship with an era that many supporters experienced through his presence.

Messi’s wording also leaves little doubt that the decision was difficult. He did not describe the move as a loss of affection for Argentina or its supporters. Instead, he indicated that the pain remains even as he accepts the need to leave, framing the retirement as an emotional conclusion to a long commitment rather than a rejection of the team.

The announcement concerns Messi’s role with Argentina’s national team. It does not specify in the report how the squad will distribute the responsibilities associated with his departure, who may take on a leading role, or what changes its future plans will involve. Those are questions Argentina will have to answer after losing the player who guided it to the 2022 title.

There are different ways to view the timing. Messi exits with a World Cup win and six appearances at soccer’s most prominent international tournament, an accomplishment that defines the scale of his record. Yet Argentina’s loss to Spain in a final this summer also shows that the team’s competitive story was still continuing when he chose to step away.

Whatever follows for Argentina, Messi’s farewell brings a clear dividing line. His international career encompassed almost 20 years, six World Cups, a title in Qatar and a final appearance that ended in defeat to Spain. His Monday message made clear that he considers his responsibility to the national team fulfilled, even though leaving it remains painful.

Source: CBS World