Archive · 1 Sep 2026
Messi’s First Argentina Retirement Preceded International Football’s Glorious Years
Lionel Messi said he will stop playing international football for Argentina.
He shared the news in a long statement on social media.
He said he wrote it after the 2026 World Cup final but waited to publish it.
The death of his father and longtime agent, Jorge, helped lead to his decision.
Messi is 39 years old in this account.
He has won almost every important trophy available to him, including the World Cup.
This was not his first retirement announcement.
Ten years earlier, he retired after Argentina lost three major finals in a row, but later returned and enjoyed highly successful years with the national team.
Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football in a social media statement on Monday.
The announcement followed the death of his father and longtime agent, Jorge.
Messi said he wrote the statement two days after the 2026 World Cup final.
At 39, Messi had won nearly every major trophy available, including the World Cup.
His earlier retirement came after Argentina lost a third consecutive major final.
- Who
- Lionel Messi and the Argentina national football team.
- What
- Messi announced his retirement from international football.
- When
- The announcement was made on Monday; he said he wrote the statement two days after the 2026 World Cup final.
- Where
- The announcement was published on Messi’s social media handles.
- Why
- The decision followed the death of his father and longtime agent, Jorge, while Messi had also already won nearly every major trophy, including the World Cup.
- Player
- Lionel Messi
- Team
- Argentina
- Announcement
- Retirement from international football
- Announcement timing
- Monday
- Statement timing
- Messi said he wrote it two days after the 2026 World Cup final.
- Age
- 39
- Earlier retirement
- Announced after Argentina lost a third consecutive major final.