"It was a decision that hurt, and still hurts deeply, but I understand that the time has come," the 39-year-old wrote. He will continue playing for Inter Miami in MLS.
A Letter Written in July, Held Back by Grief
Messi revealed he wrote the retirement letter on July 21, two days after this summer's World Cup final, in which Argentina lost to Spain in extra time in New Jersey and Messi struggled to impose himself. He withheld it because his father and longtime agent, Jorge Messi, was gravely ill. Jorge died on August 8 in Rosario, a loss after which Messi had already publicly questioned his future, saying he did not know what came next.
The announcement answers that question for the national team only. Messi gave no timeline for his club career, and the evidence argues he is nowhere near finished: he scored four goals for Inter Miami in a 7-1 win over CF Montreal this weekend.
The Numbers, and the Wound That Healed
Messi leaves as Argentina's all-time leading scorer, with 21 of his 125 goals scored across a record-tying six World Cups. Only Cristiano Ronaldo, with 146 goals and no retirement announcement yet, has more in men's internationals. During this summer's tournament Messi briefly held the all-time World Cup scoring record, before finishing one goal behind Kylian Mbappé.
It nearly ended a decade sooner. Messi quit the national team in 2016 after a third consecutive lost final, a Copa America defeat to Chile in which he missed a penalty. A public campaign led by Diego Maradona and Argentina's president talked him back, and the redemption arc followed: Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024, and the World Cup in 2022. "He is pure history," coach Lionel Scaloni said during the recent tournament. "History. A legend."
"Now I'm Going to Be One of You"
The farewell drew tributes from every direction. President Javier Milei wrote: "Thank you very much, impossible man." FIFA President Gianni Infantino credited Messi with having "redefined our sport." Teammate Leandro Paredes called him "the greatest of all time," and the Argentine Football Association wrote simply: "The legend is yours, forever."
Messi's own goodbye was addressed to the fans. "I'm going to miss hearing you all from the inside so much," he wrote. "Now I'm going to be one of you, cheering and supporting you from the outside."
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why did Messi retire from international soccer?
- He said the time had come, in a letter written on July 21, two days after Argentina lost the World Cup final to Spain. He delayed publishing it because of his father's illness and death in August.
- Is Messi retiring from club soccer too?
- No. He continues with Inter Miami in MLS and gave no timeline for ending his club career. He scored four goals in his last match before the announcement.
- What are Messi's Argentina records?
- 207 matches and 125 goals, both national records, with 21 goals across six World Cups. He won the 2022 World Cup and the 2021 and 2024 Copa America titles, and is an eight-time world player of the year.
- Had Messi retired from Argentina before?
- Yes, briefly in 2016 after losing a third straight major final. A campaign led by Diego Maradona helped convince him to return.
