Lionel Messi is retiring from the Argentina national soccer team. The international icon shared the news in a statement on Instagram, following an impressive World Cup performance where he led his team to the finals and a very painful personal loss.
© FIFA via Getty ImagesMessi shared the news in his most recent post, accompanied by three pages of handwritten notes, declaring his retirement. He also shared the post on his Instagram stories.
"After this time that has passed since the World Cup final, thinking about it a lot, I want to communicate to you all that I'm retiring from the Argentina team," reads his statement.
"It was a decision that hurts in my soul, but I think it's the right time. I swear that I always gave it my all, not only in these last couple of years, where we won everything, but also before. I always fought and left everything for this jersey, for making you happy and making you feel proud to be Argentinean through football."
© AFP via Getty Images"There's not a lot left, and moments are ending, and this one hurts a lot. I love, loved and will continue to love being a part of this team. I'm empty, I have nothing left to give, and now some young players deserve to be a part of it."
He continued his statement by thanking his fans and followers. "I'm gonna miss hearing you from the pitch. Now I'm one of you, cheering from the sidelines (on the good and the bad times)."
Messi also thanked his family for their support through "a beautiful but challenging journey." He revealed that he wrote his statement on July 21st, two days after the World Cup Final and shortly after the death of his father, Jorge Messi. "Today, after my father, I'm more convinced that I was before."
You can check out the statement in full below.
Messi's challenging 2026
Messi lost his father shortly after the World Cup. The two shared a strong bond over the years, with Jorge playing a key role in Messi's personal and professional life. In a letter shared on social media, Messi revealed that his father encouraged him to play in the World Cup, and Messi played in his first tournament without the support of his father.
"Every time a match ended I waited for and missed your message. That’s when I realized how truly bad things were. Even so, I couldn’t stop thinking about going as far as possible to buy you time so you could watch a game. We made it to the final and you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it so I could bring the trophy to you and show you a new one. I couldn’t do it, my legs just couldn’t go anymore. This time I tried to push past my body, but I couldn’t. I never once felt good," reads Messi's heartbreaking letter, written in Spanish.
Jorge Messi died on August 2nd, after a long illness. He was hospitalized in Rosario, Argentina.
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