When Lionel Messi walked off the pitch after the 2026 World Cup final, there was an air of finality to the moment. At 39, it seemed highly unlikely Messi would continuing playing with the team at the next World Cup.
The legend confirmed as much Monday, announcing he has retired from international play. Messi made the announcement in a post on Instagram.
In the post, Messi included an image of a handwritten letter announcing his decision. He included the text of that letter in his post.
A portion of that post, which has been translated, read:
“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.
“Time is running short, chapters come to a close, and this is one that hurts me deeply. I love, have loved, and will always love being part of the National Team. I’ve given everything I had; I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are some great young players coming up who deserve to be here.”
Messi then thanked the fans and his family for their support over the years. He called being a part of Argentina’s national team an “incredible experience.”
Messi also revealed that he wrote that letter two days after the World Cup final. Thanks to Messi’s efforts, Argentina once again reached the final, where it lost to Spain 1-0. As he walked off the pitch after the contest, Messi held back tears. It was an early indication this could truly be it for Messi.
In the weeks after the final, Messi’s father, Jorge, died. Shortly after Jorge’s death, Messi admitted he wasn’t sure how much longer he would keep playing soccer.
Of course, Monday’s announcement now brings into question how much longer Messi will continue to play for Inter Miami. He’s under contract with the team through the end of the 2028 season, though he could opt to call it a career earlier than that.
