BREAKING: Lionel Messi Retires From Argentina National Team
The Inter Miami captain announced Monday that his historic run with Argentina has come to an end after more than two decades with the national team.
Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from the Argentina national team, bringing one of the most celebrated international careers in soccer history to an end.
The 39-year-old Inter Miami captain confirmed the decision Monday in an emotional post on Instagram. Messi said stepping away was painful but that he felt the time had come, adding that he leaves proud of what he and his teammates achieved together.
The announcement closes a national-team career that began in 2005 and ultimately transformed Messi's story with Argentina. After years of near misses, he captained the country to the Copa América title in 2021, the Finalissima in 2022 and the FIFA World Cup later that year. Argentina then won another Copa América in 2024.
Messi's final World Cup came this summer in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Argentina reached the 2026 final before falling 1-0 to Spain at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The run gave Messi a third World Cup final appearance and another deep tournament run at age 39.
For fans in South Florida, the announcement does not mean Messi is retiring from club soccer. His career continues with Inter Miami, where he remains the centerpiece of the club and one of the biggest stars in Major League Soccer.
The timing adds another dramatic chapter to his Miami era. Just two days before announcing his Argentina retirement, Messi scored four goals and added an assist in Inter Miami's 7-1 win over CF Montréal, his first four-goal performance in MLS.
Messi now closes the Argentina chapter of his career as a World Cup champion, two-time Copa América winner and the defining figure of a generation that restored the national team to the top of world soccer.
For Argentina, it is the end of an era. For Miami, Messi's story continues.
