Photograph: Luis Robayo/AFP/Getty Images
Imagine watching a player who has been part of your football life for more than 20 years… and suddenly, there is no more Messi in the Argentina shirt.
Yeah. That era is officially over.
Lionel Messi has retired from international football at 39, bringing an end to one of the greatest and most emotional international careers football has ever seen. His final appearance came on October 6, 2026, in Argentina’s 3-0 friendly win over Benin, where Messi scored a penalty and assisted twice.
But Messi’s Argentina story wasn’t always this beautiful.
For years, the criticism was brutal.
“Maradona did it.”
“Messi can’t do it with Argentina.”
“He is better for Barcelona than Argentina.”
And every time Argentina lost a big final, the pressure on Messi became even heavier.
2014 World Cup final — lost.
2015 Copa América final — lost.
2016 Copa América final — lost.
Then Messi finally said:
“I’m done.”
After the 2016 Copa América heartbreak, he briefly retired from international football.
But football wasn’t finished with Messi.
He came back.
And that comeback changed everything.
In 2021, Messi finally lifted his first major trophy with Argentina, beating Brazil in the Copa América final at the Maracanã.
Then came the trophy every Argentine wanted.
The World Cup.
Qatar 2022.
Messi scored seven goals, including two in the final against France, and finally lifted the trophy that had haunted his career for so long.
The same player who was once accused of not doing enough for Argentina had now become a World Cup champion.
And it didn’t stop there.
Argentina won the 2024 Copa América, giving Messi another major international trophy.
Then came the 2026 World Cup.
At 39.
Most players would have been watching from the stands.
Messi was still starting games.
Argentina made it all the way to the final again, but Spain ended their dream with a 1-0 victory.
And that defeat appears to have been the final chapter.
125 goals.
208 appearances.
Two Copa América titles.
A World Cup.
And a career that transformed from “Messi can’t win with Argentina” to “Messi is Argentina.”
From being compared to Diego Maradona to being an Icon on his own, the boy from Rosario, who left at a young age to Spain, came back and won the highest award for his country as a football, bows out as the GOAT!!!
He didn’t get the perfect beginning with Argentina.
But somehow…
He got the perfect ending.
So maybe we shouldn’t be sad.
Maybe we should just appreciate it.
Because one day, we’ll look back and realise something:
We didn’t just watch Messi play football.
We watched history happen.
