Lionel Messi has confirmed his retirement from international football this week at 39 years old. The announcement follows Argentina's defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, a match now known to be his last in the national kit.
Messi's final tournament was marked by a range of emotions, including tears of joy for a hat-trick against Algeria and a brace against Austria, as well as an equaliser against Egypt. He later revealed he had been struggling with his father Jorge's health issues, who passed away in the weeks following the tournament.
Despite the emotional toll, Messi's brilliance remained evident throughout the World Cup. He concludes his international career with a record 34 men's World Cup appearances across six tournaments, sharing the record for most tournaments played with Cristiano Ronaldo and Guillermo Ocha. He contributed to 185 goals in 207 caps, with 35 coming in major tournaments, and was a key figure in Argentina's victories in the 2021 Copa América, 2022 World Cup, and 2024 Copa América.
Messi continues to play for Miami in Major League Soccer, where he remains under a guaranteed contract until 2028. Just last weekend, he scored four goals and provided an assist against Montreal, putting him in the lead for the league's Golden Boot. However, his international retirement has raised questions about whether he will see out his contract with Miami.