Lionel Messi announces he is retiring from Argentina’s national team

By Kyle Feldscher, Ben Church, CNN

(CNN) — Argentine superstar Lionel Messi announced Monday that he is retiring from his country’s national team.

“After the time that has passed since the final, and after giving it a lot of thought, I want to let everyone know that I am retiring from the National Team,” Messi said in a statement on Instagram.

“It was a decision that hurt – and still hurts deep down – but I understand that the time has come. I swear to you that I always gave it my all – not just in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too; I always fought and left everything on the field for this jersey, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football.”

Messi’s glittering career with the national team includes one World Cup trophy in 2022, two runners-up medals in 2014 and 2026, two Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024, and three runners-up medals in 2007, 2015 and 2016. He won the Golden Ball as the top player in the 2014 and 2022 World Cups and the same award in the 2015 and 2021 Copa América tournaments.

His late-career success with the national team came after years of pressure from Argentina’s fans as La Albiceleste came close to winning titles but couldn’t quite get over the hump. It made for a complicated dynamic for Messi, who lived in Spain from a young age after moving away from Rosario, Argentina, to pursue a career with Barcelona.

But in recent years, as trophies began to come and Messi racked up the honors, he began to be seen almost as a deity by the Argentine faithful. He thanked them in his statement for the love they showed, particularly during this last run in North America during the 2026 World Cup.

“I will miss hearing you from the pitch so much. Now I’ll be just one of you, cheering and supporting from the outside (through the good times and the bad—especially the bad),” he wrote.

“Thank you to my family for always being there, for accompanying me on this journey—so beautiful, yet so difficult. Thank you to every coach, teammate, and official I’ve shared this path with. I take with me unforgettable memories and moments.”

Messi is coming off arguably the hardest few weeks of his career. Just over a month ago, Messi and Argentina shared sporting heartbreak after losing the World Cup final to Spain. As he stood crying on the field at full time, it was clear Messi was nearing the end of his love affair with the national team – hard for any player, but even harder for an Argentine icon.

Then, at the start of this month, Messi suffered true heartbreak with the loss of his father. Jorge Messi was not just Lionel’s dad but his agent, proving to be a cornerstone of his son’s career. He was with him for all of the most important chapters of his journey: from his glorious time with Barcelona, to his transfers to PSG and Inter Miami, as well as his World Cup victory in 2022.

Messi was understandably broken by the news and took some time away to grieve.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you, I don’t know how to go on. I only played football and now I have quite a few doubts about whether I’ll keep doing it for much longer,” Messi wrote recently in tribute to his father.

Messi wrote that he initially penned his statement on July 21, just two days after the final. He added that the loss of his father only confirmed his feeling that it was time to step away from the team.

“I leave with the peace of mind and pride of having given you—alongside my teammates—moments we once only dreamed of. It was an incredible experience to live this with you all. I love you!” he wrote.

“Thank you, God, for making me Argentine.”

This story has been updated with additional reporting.

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