Soccer great Lionel Messi is retiring from international play.
The 39-year-old forward’s announcement comes six weeks after his Argentine team lost to Spain in the World Cup final and three weeks after the death of his father.
“It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep inside, but I understand that this is the right moment,” Messi confessed in a series of handwritten notes posted to Instagram in Spanish.
Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group J match between Argentina and Algeria at Kansas City Stadium on June 16, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Messi said those notes were written two days after his national club’s July 19 defeat in New Jersey. He added that his dad Jorge Messi’s Aug. 8 death made him “even more convinced” it was time to step off the international stage. He remains a member of Major League Soccer ‘s defending championship club Inter Miami.
Messi retires from international play after more than 20 years with Argentina that was highlighted by the 2022 world title.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi cries at the end of the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
“Time is running short, chapters come to a close, and this is one that hurts me deeply,” he wrote. “I love, have loved, and will always love being part of the national team. I’ve given everything I had; I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are some great young players coming up who deserve to be here.”
He walks away as the club’s all-time leading scorer.
“Now I’ll be just one of you, cheering and supporting from the outside (through the good times and the bad — especially the bad),” he told fans in his appreciative farewell letter.
Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates with teammates after the 3-2 victory during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Argentina and Egypt at Atlanta Stadium on July 7, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Messi, who was a superstar with European teams Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, is regarded as one of the greatest players to have stepped onto a soccer pitch.
“It was an incredible experience to live this with you all. I love you!” he said.