Lionel Messi announced his retirement from Argentina’s national team on Monday, August 31, 2026, six weeks after Argentina lost the FIFA World Cup final to Spain. The 39 year old will continue playing for Inter Miami, where his contract runs through the 2028 season. Messi’s decision came two days after he scored four goals in Inter Miami’s 7 to 1 win over CF Montreal. In a social media statement, Messi said he had given everything to Argentina and believed younger players deserved the opportunity to lead the team next. What Does Messi Leave Behind? Messi spent 15 years with Argentina and finished with 207 appearances and 125 goals, second all time behind Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo. His international résumé includes the 2022 World Cup title in Qatar, back to back Copa América championships in 2021 and 2024, and six World Cup appearances. At the 2026 tournament, Messi recorded eight goals and four assists, briefly becoming the competition’s leading scorer with 21 goals before France’s Kylian Mbappé moved ahead with 22. Messi previously stepped away from Argentina in 2016, returned for the 2018 World Cup, and now appears ready to make this retirement permanent after a 1 to 0 extra time defeat that reportedly left him facing a long emotional recovery.