Lionel Messi has brought the curtain down on his international football career, ending more than two decades of extraordinary moments with Argentina.
The 39-year-old, who is contracted to Inter Miami until 2028, announced his decision on Monday after months of uncertainty over his future.
Messi had been reflecting on his career following the death of his father, Jorge, earlier this month. In an emotional tribute, he hinted that his time in football could be nearing its end.
“I don’t know how to carry on. I used to just play football, and now I’m really not sure if I’ll carry on doing it for much longer,” he said.
He has now confirmed his decision to end his international career in an emotional Instagram post.
“Time is running short, chapters come to a close, and this is one that hurts me deeply,” Messi wrote.
Messi leaves Argentina with an extraordinary record. He scored 125 goals in 207 appearances, making him the country’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player.
Across Barcelona, Paris St-Germain, Inter Miami and Argentina, he has scored a combined 921 goals.
His remarkable journey began with a teenage breakthrough at Barcelona, where he scored his first career hat-trick in El Clasico against Real Madrid in 2007. At just 19, Messi scored all three goals in a 3-3 draw at Camp Nou, announcing himself on one of football’s biggest stages.
Just weeks later, he produced another unforgettable moment against Getafe in the Copa del Rey. Messi collected the ball in his own half, dribbled past several defenders, rounded the goalkeeper and scored a stunning solo goal that drew comparisons with Diego Maradona’s famous 1986 World Cup effort.
His rise continued on the European stage. In the 2009 Champions League final against Manchester United, Messi headed in Xavi’s cross to score his first goal in a Champions League final. He scored again against United in the 2011 final and went on to win four Champions League titles.
Messi also produced extraordinary individual performances, including four goals against Arsenal in the 2010 Champions League quarter-final and five against Bayer Leverkusen two years later.
In 2012, he broke Barcelona’s long-standing scoring record at just 24 and later finished his time at the club with 672 goals.
That same year, Messi scored an astonishing 91 goals for club and country, including 79 for Barcelona and 12 for Argentina. The achievement helped him win his fourth consecutive Ballon d’Or.
He went on to become La Liga’s all-time leading scorer, eventually finishing with 474 goals in the competition.
One of his most memorable Barcelona moments came in 2017, when he scored an injury-time winner against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu for his 500th goal for Barcelona. His celebration, holding his shirt towards the home supporters, became one of the most iconic images of his career.
But after 21 years, Messi’s Barcelona story ended in tears in 2021. The club could not register the new contract they had agreed because of La Liga’s salary restrictions, forcing him to leave on a free transfer.
For Argentina, however, the biggest chapter was still to come.
After years of international heartbreak, Messi finally won his first major senior international trophy when Argentina defeated Brazil 1-0 in the 2021 Copa America final.
He was named player of the tournament and celebrated emotionally with his teammates after years of criticism and disappointment.
A year later came the defining moment of his international career.
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Argentina defeated France on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw in the final. Messi scored twice and converted his penalty in the shootout, finishing the tournament with seven goals and being named its best player.
The World Cup triumph finally delivered the trophy that had eluded him for much of his career and strengthened his place among football’s greatest players.
Messi later claimed an eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023 following Argentina’s World Cup success and his contribution to Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup triumph.
At the 2026 World Cup, his final appearance at the tournament, Messi added another remarkable achievement. His eight goals took his World Cup tally to 21, briefly making him the competition’s all-time leading scorer before Kylian Mbappe moved ahead with 22.
Argentina eventually lost to Spain in the final, but Messi’s individual performances provided another memorable chapter at the age of 39.
Now, after more than 20 years representing Argentina, Messi has decided that the time has come to close the chapter.
He leaves behind 125 international goals, 207 appearances, a Copa America title, a World Cup, eight Ballon d’Or awards and countless unforgettable moments.
But his legacy with Argentina goes beyond statistics.
Messi carried the hopes of millions through years of disappointment before finally delivering the trophies his country had waited so long to celebrate.
His international career may be over, but the memories of the boy who became Argentina’s greatest football star will remain part of the game’s history.
