Archive · 1 Sep 2026
Antonela Roccuzzo Honors Lionel Messi After International Retirement
Lionel Messi has decided to stop playing for Argentina’s national football team.
His wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, wrote that she is very proud of him.
She saw him experience both difficult losses and great victories.
Their children also watched their father work hard and eventually win the World Cup.
Messi said retiring was painful, but he believes it is the right time.
He also said the death of his father made him more certain about the decision.
Messi thanked his family, teammates and Argentine supporters.
He will continue playing club football for Inter Miami.
Antonela Roccuzzo praised Lionel Messi’s two-decade international career in an emotional Instagram message.
She said their children witnessed Messi’s struggles, persistence and achievements, including lifting the World Cup.
Messi announced his retirement from Argentina’s national team after the team’s 0-1 loss to Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.
Messi said the decision was painful but right, citing his father’s death and the emergence of younger players.
He leaves international football as Argentina’s leading scorer and most-capped player, with 124 goals in 203 appearances.
- Who
- Lionel Messi, his wife Antonela Roccuzzo, and Argentina’s national football team.
- What
- Messi retired from international football, while Roccuzzo published a tribute to his career.
- When
- The retirement was reported on Monday, more than a month after the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.
- Where
- The retirement concerns Argentina’s national team; Roccuzzo shared her message on Instagram.
- Why
- Messi said the decision was the right moment, especially after his father’s death, and that younger players deserved opportunities.
- International career
- Approximately two decades
- Argentina appearances
- 203
- Argentina goals
- 124
- World Cup appearances
- Six, from 2006 through 2026
- World Cup goals
- 21
- Major honors cited
- The 2021 Copa America, 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and 2024 Copa America
- Club future
- Messi will continue playing for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami
Sources
'Some Of The Happies Days Of Our Lives': Lionel Messi's Wife Wholesome Reaction After Argentine Star Announces International Retirement Goes Viral
Messi's Wife Pens Emotional Retirement Note
