Messi announces end to international soccer career

Soccer legend Lionel Messi announced Monday that he is officially retiring from international soccer and the Argentina national team, citing the recent loss of his father and the 2026 World Cup final.

Messi's father died earlier this month at a hospital in Rosario, Argentina, at the age of 68. His father also acted as the soccer star's agent.

"After the time that has passed since the final, and after giving it a lot of thought, I want to let everyone know that I am retiring from the Argentina national team," Messi wrote in an Instagram post in Spanish, according to ESPN.

"It was a decision that hurt -- and still hurts deep down -- but I understand that the time has come," he continued. "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.

"Time is running short, chapters come to a close, and this is one that hurts me deeply," the soccer legend 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. Thank you for all the affection over these past 20 years. I will miss hearing you from the pitch so much."

Messi, who played in six World Cups, led Argentina to a World Cup victory in Qatar in 2022 and led the team to the finals earlier this year before losing to Spain. 

The soccer legend, who was his team's captain, is his country's all-time leading goalscorer and most capped player. Messi has scored 125 goals in 207 games for the national team. He is the highest-scoring man in South American soccer history.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.