Messi Retires From Argentina Duty After 207 Caps — SkimNews
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- Lionel Messi announced his retirement from Argentina duty at age 39, saying he has "nothing left to give" after 125 goals in 207 appearances — making him Argentina's all-time leading scorer and most-capped player.
- Messi wrote his retirement message on 21 July, two days after Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in the World Cup final, with the defeat and the recent death of his father Jorge (aged 68) both cited as hastening his decision.
- The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner will continue playing at club level with Inter Miami, where his contract runs through the end of the 2028 MLS season.
- Messi sits second on the all-time World Cup scoring list with 21 goals, one behind France's Kylian Mbappé, and second in international goals behind Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (146).
- Messi previously retired from international duty in 2016 after losing the Copa America final to Chile — a decision he later reversed.
- His Argentina debut came in 2005 as a substitute against Hungary, where he was shown a straight red card less than a minute after coming on.
- At this summer's World Cup, Messi scored eight goals and registered four assists, taking his career World Cup assists tally to 12 — 10 of which came in the knockout rounds, more than any other player on record.
Why it matters: Argentina loses its captain and most-capped player just weeks after a World Cup final defeat, creating a transition challenge for the next cycle while Messi continues at Inter Miami through 2028.
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