Lionel Messi announced on Monday his retirement from the Argentina national team in an Instagram post showing a handwritten notebook entry. Messi revealed he decided to retire just two days after the 1-0 loss in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final to Spain, but the passing of his father Jorge Messi on Aug. 8 reaffirmed his thought process.
He now closes a chapter with la Albiceleste after more than 20 years.
Since his international debut in 2005, Messi has given supporters reasons to cheer, endless moments of joy and trophies that will shape his legacy forever. He captained the Argentina national team to a World Cup trophy, two Copa América titles, an Olympic gold medal and a Finalissima title to become one of the most emblematic players to sport the crest.
While the hearts of Argentina fans break around the world today, we remember Messi’s most memorable moments that will keep the name in the national team’s history books forever.
2022: Finally winning the World Cup in Qatar
Everyone recalls the moment Messi fell to his knees when Gonzalo Montiel scored the winning penalty against France to crown Argentina as 2022 World Cup champions.
Messi successfully captained La Albiceleste to their first World Cup trophy in 36 years, adding the most coveted title to his list. He played an integral part for Argentina in the final, scoring two goals in regular time and the first penalty of the shootout to secure the win. After representing the national team for more than 15 years, he achieved the ultimate victory.
2026: Messi becomes the top goal scorer in men’s World Cup history
Many wondered how Messi would perform at the 2026 World Cup at the age of 39. He set the bar immensely high for himself with his triumphant win four years earlier, but he quickly silenced doubts with one impressive performance after another in the United States.
Messi etched his name in the history books once again by becoming the highest goal scorer in World Cup history when scoring against Austria in Argentina’s group stage match to reach a tally of 18.
The Argentina captain entered the game with 16 goals following a hat trick during their opening game vs. Algeria, but needed one more strike to break the tie with Germany legend Miroslav Klose. Though Messi missed a penalty early in the match, he made up for the error with two goals.
France star Kylian Mbappé ultimately surpassed Messi and finished the World Cup with 22 all-time goals, but most will remember the game against Austria when Messi made history.
2016: Messi retires from national team following Copa América loss to Chile
Monday wasn’t not the first time that Messi has retired from the Argentina national team. The Inter Miami captain announced he would take a step back from La Albiceleste following the 2016 Copa América final loss to Chile, shocking reporters in the post-match mixed zone at the time.
“My thinking right now and thinking about it in the locker room, I’m done playing with the national team,” he told a group of reporters.
“I tried my hardest. It’s been four finals, and I was not able to win. I tried everything possible. It hurts me more than anyone, but it is evident that this is not for me. I want more than anyone to win a title with the national team, but unfortunately, it did not happen.”
He came back, however, and made history by winning two consecutive editions of Copa América, the World Cup and breaking individual records.
2006: World Cup debut
June 16, 2006, marked the day that Messi changed the course of World Cup history forever. The 18-year-old Messi marked his first of many World Cup appearances by coming off the bench for Argentina in the group stage match against Serbia and Montenegro in the 74th minute. He quickly proved himself on the international stage, scoring just minutes after coming on to the pitch. Messi concluded the game with one goal and one assist to propel Argentina’s 6-0 triumph.
It was the first of many joys he would give the Albiceleste supporters.
2022: Argentina’s group stage match against Mexico
The course of the Argentina national team could have been completely different without Messi’s brilliant goal against Mexico during the Qatar World Cup.
Argentina faced elimination from the World Cup in the final group stage match of the competition. The game went to halftime in a deadlock, with a desperate Argentina hoping to make a difference in the second half. Finally, Messi broke the tie in the 64th minute with a left-footed rocket into the back of the net to inspire Argentina to the 2-0 victory that would ultimately propel La Albiceleste to the trophy.
2014: Losing the World Cup final against Germany
Messi featured in his first World Cup final when Argentina got there to face Germany in 2014. He played an integral part in the match as Argentina put up a fight against Germany, but Mario Götze’s extra-time strike proved to be the deciding factor. Though Argentina lost the game, Messi won the Golden Ball for his outstanding performance throughout the tournament. He recorded four goals and one assist in seven games of the 2014 World Cup.
From that moment on, Messi vowed to come back stronger and earn the World Cup trophy for Argentina, which he would succeed in eight years later.
2021: Argentina breaks the country’s trophy drought by winning the Copa América
Finally, after failing in 2007, 2015 and 2016, Messi successfully lifted the 2021 Copa América trophy as captain of the Argentina national team.
Argentina triumphed 1-0 against Brazil at the historic Maracanã in Rio De Janeiro to break the Albiceleste‘s 28-year trophy drought. In the span of six years, Messi went from two heartbreaking Copa América defeats to lifting the trophy that once led him to retire from the national team.
2005: Messi makes his national team debut.. and is immediately sent off
A young, 18-year-old Messi made his Argentina national team debut on Aug. 17, 2005, in a friendly against Hungary in Budapest. It was a bittersweet day for the player, after he received a straight red card just seconds after coming on as a second-half substitute.
It wasn’t the best start for Messi, but he more than made up for that red card with decades of brilliance.
2010: World Cup with Maradona as coach
Two of the world’s greatest players ever came together in 2010 when Diego Maradona coached a young Lionel Messi with the Argentina national team at the World Cup.
It wasn’t a particularly memorable tournament for La Albiceleste on the field, falling to Germany in the quarterfinals, but more so on the sidelines. For Argentinians, it was the only chance to see the most emblematic captains of La Albiceleste collaborate in some capacity at a World Cup.
2026: the World Cup semifinal against England
Argentina fans will never forget the 2026 World Cup semifinal win against historic rival England.
“Although it was just one match, we experienced some special moments,” Messi said. “The fans wanted this victory more than any other, because of what it means to face England in a semifinal and reach another World Cup final.”
Messi recorded two assists in the game to inspire Argentina’s 2-1 comeback victory and secure a place in the final. The Argentina captain also managed to equal Diego Maradona in beating England on the international stage, 40 years after the anniversary of the quarterfinal win at the 1986 World Cup that produced the “Hand of God” and “Goal of the Century.”
2026: Losing the World Cup final against Spain
Spain’s 1-0 victory over Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final marked a heartbreaking end to the international career of Messi. He fought through emotional and physical exhaustion for over 120 minutes, but La Albiceleste fell just short of reaching consecutive World Cup victories.
Though Argentina suffered a loss in the final, Messi’s 2026 World Cup will forever be characterized by his ability to break records and make history at the age of 39. Until the last minute of the match, in his final tournament with Argentina, Messi was determined to give it his all for the millions of supporters watching.
