Lionel Messi Officially Retires from International Football

The captain and forward of the Argentina national team, Lionel Messi, has announced his retirement from international football. The player stated on his social media page that after considerable reflection, he made the difficult decision, emphasizing that the time has come to pass the torch to the younger generation.

According to Messi, during his 20 years with the national team, he has put forth maximum effort. The forward thanked fans, family, coaches, teammates, and the national staff for their support over the years, adding that he will continue to support the team as a fan.

Messi also clarified that he reached this decision definitively after the recent final and family events. Throughout his international career, Messi has won major titles with the Argentina national team, including the 2022 World Cup, the Copa América in 2021 and 2024, the 2022 Finalissima, and the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games.