Lionel Messi retires from the Argentina national soccer team

Lionel Messi, one of the best players in the history of the sport, has announced his retirement from the national team

Lionel Messi said on Monday he was retiring from international football after leading Argentina to a second successive World Cup final in July.Messi led Argentina to World Cup glory four years ago by winning the final against France in a penalty shootout in Doha, but his side lost 1-0 to a superior Spain side in the 2026 final in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Lionel Messi has graced a soccer field with Argentina for the last time. Arguably the greatest player of all time, Messi announced his retirement from the international game on Monday to bring an end to 21 years of service for his country. Messi won the World Cup once, in Qatar in 2022.

Lionel Messi has played his last game representing Argentina, the soccer star announced Monday. The 39-year-old Messi’s retirement from the national team comes 20 years after his first appearance and ends a career with La Albiceleste that saw him score 98 go…

Messi led the Argentina team to the final at the 2026 World Cup.

The soccer star is ending 21 years of Argentine national-team duty but will continue to play at club level with Inter Miami in U.S. Major League Soccer.

Lionel Messi played in six World Cups and led Argentina to win the tournament in 2022 in Qatar.

Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football on Monday, six weeks on from Argentina's defeat in the World Cup final and after over 200 appearances for his country stretching across more than two decades.Six weeks later Messi changed his mind and agreed to come out of his brief international retirement.