Soccer / Football · The Guardian
Argentina’s Lionel Messi retires from international football: ‘This hurts me a lot’
Published by The Guardian on August 31, 2026 at 11:19 AM ET
Argentina great’s last game was in World Cup final Player’s father Jorge passed away earlier in August Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from Argentina duty after winning 207 caps. The 39-year-old, who made his Argentina debut in 2005, won the World Cup in 2022 and was a runner-up this summer and in 2014. He also secured two Copa América titles. Messi wrote in a statement: “It was a decision that hurt – and still hurts deep down – but I understand that the time has come. 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. Continue reading...
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