Messi says goodbye to the Argentina national team

Lionel Messi announced in a post on his Instagram account on Monday 31 August that he had officially left the Argentina national team. It emerged that he had in fact written the letter on 21 July, two days after Argentina lost the 2026 World Cup final 1-0 to Spain, but decided to share it publicly after the death of his father Jorge Messi on 8 August.

Coming after a career of 125 goals and 68 assists in 207 matches, the farewell closes the international story of one of the most productive names in Argentine football history. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) responded on its official account with the message: "Thank you, captain, we love you."

Messi's club career is unaffected by the decision; the 38-year-old will continue at Inter Miami. The story was confirmed by numerous international sources including FIFA, NBC and the Washington Post.