Lionel Messi to retire from international football

Lionel Messi, 39, announced on Monday (August 31, 2026) that he will retire from international football, posting the decision on Instagram after leading Argentina to a second successive World Cup final in July.

"It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep in my soul but I understand that it is the right time," Messi wrote on Instagram.

Messi captained Argentina to World Cup victory in 2022, defeating France in a penalty shootout in Doha, and his side lost 1-0 to Spain in the 2026 final.

Messi, 39, added on Instagram: "I swear I always gave everything, not just in the last few years when we won everything but before that too, and I always fought and gave my all for this shirt," he wrote.

Following the death of his father Jorge on August 8, 2026, Messi had said he had "serious doubts" about continuing to play football of any sort for "much longer."

A photograph accompanying the report showed Messi casting a shadow during the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York on July 19, 2026; the picture was credited to AP.

Messi’s contract with Major League Soccer club Inter Miami runs until the end of the 2028 season.