31/08/2026
🐐 Lionel Messi on IG: "After all this time since the final, and after thinking about it a lot, I want to tell everyone that I’m retiring from the national team...
It was a decision that hurt, and still hurts deep in my soul, but I understand that this is the right moment. I swear that I always gave everything, not only in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too. I always fought and gave everything for this shirt, to bring you happiness and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football.
There isn’t much time left, and chapters are coming to an end, and this is one that hurts me a lot. I love, have loved, and will always love being part of the national team. I gave everything I had; I have nothing more to give, and there are also some incredible young players coming through who deserve their chance.
Thank you for all the love over these 20 years. I’m going to miss hearing you support us from inside the stadium. Now I’ll be just another one of you, always supporting from the outside, through the good times and especially through the bad.
Thank you to my family for always being there and for accompanying me on this beautiful but difficult journey. Thank you to every coach, teammate, and official I had the chance to share this journey with. I take with me unforgettable memories and moments.
I leave with peace of mind and pride, knowing that together with my teammates, we gave you moments you could only dream of. It was crazy to experience all of this with you. I love you!
Thank God for making me Argentine.
Come on, Argentina!
P.S. I wrote these words on July 21, two days after the final. Today, after what happened with my dad, I’m even more convinced than I was before.” 💔
