Lionel Messi Announces Retirement from International Football

Miami: Argentina football legend Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football. Messi revealed that he will no longer play for the Argentina national team in an emotional note shared on Instagram.

“This is a decision that has hurt my soul a lot, and it still hurts. But I understand that this is the right time to make it,” Messi wrote.

He said he had given everything to the national team not only after winning everything in recent years, but also before that.

“I swear to you that I always gave everything, not only the last few years when everything was won, but before that too, and I always fought and gave my all for this jersey,” Messi wrote.

The 39-year-old forward is ending his career with 125 goals in 207 appearances for his country in two decades. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner won the world cup in 2022.

He finishes as the second-highest goalscorer in World Cup history behind Kylian Mbappe after surpassing Miroslav Klose's record tally. Messi will continue playing club football for US Major League Soccer as part of Inter Miami.