Lionel Messi, who captained Argentina to World Cup victory in 2022 and the final in 2026, is retiring from international football, he said on Monday.

The record eight-times Ballon d’Or winner is his country’s record appearance-maker and scorer with 125 goals in 207 games, having transformed a complicated relationship with the national team into a story of redemption and triumph.

“It was a decision that hurt — and still hurts deep down — but I understand that the time has come. I swear to you that I always gave it my ⁠all — not just in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too; I always fought and left everything on the field for this jersey, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football,” the 39-year-old Messi wrote on Instagram.

“Time is running short, chapters come to a close, and this is one that hurts me deeply. 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.

“I leave with the peace of mind and pride of having given you — alongside my teammates — moments we once only dreamed of,” Messi ⁠added.

No fairytale farewell

Defeat in this year’s World Cup final by Spain denied Messi a fairytale farewell, but his place among the game’s greats had long since been secured.

After years of disappointment with Argentina, including defeat in the 2014 World Cup final and successive Copa America finals, Messi won his first major international trophy at the 2021 Copa America before leading his country to glory at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

The ⁠former Barcelona and Paris St Germain forward, who now plays for Inter Miami, added another Copa America title in 2024 and arrived at his sixth World Cup hoping to complete an extraordinary final chapter.

A 1-0 loss to Spain after extra time ensured that did not happen, ⁠but Messi, who made his Argentina debut in 2005, walks away having emerged from the shadow of 1986 World Cup-winning captain Diego Maradona to forge a legacy of his own as another defining figure in his country’s football history.

The Argentine Football ⁠Association posted on Instagram: “Thank you for giving us the most beautiful journey of our lives. Your legacy and professionalism will remain forever etched in our hearts. Thank you, Captain. We love you.”