3 sourcesUpdated
Lionel Messi retires from Argentina national team
Argentine legend Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football on social media, citing personal reasons including the death of his father. The decision, which ended a 21-year career with 125 goals in 207 appearances, was made after Argentina's defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.
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- Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, ending a remarkable 21-year career with the national team.1
- The announcement came on social media on Monday after Argentina's defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.13
- Messi wrote: '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 Argentina national team'.23
- The decision hurt him deeply but he believed it was time to step away.13
- Messi's father Jorge died on August 8 in Rosario, Argentina, which influenced his decision.2
- Messi ends his international career with a record 125 goals in 207 appearances and captained the country to victory in Qatar in 2022.3
1 NewsWire English · 2 Hiru News - English · 3 Asian Mirror
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