Lionel Messi announces his retirement from international football, ending his Argentina career at age 39. Multiple outlets report that he makes the announcement on Monday, following Argentina’s defeat in the World Cup final in July and after more than 200 appearances for the national team.

Several sources place the decision in the context of a long international career spanning more than two decades. IOL and other outlets describe a period stretching across multiple tournaments, concluding after the World Cup final loss. Yahoo Sports and Globe and Mail both link the timing of the retirement to that defeat, while local and international papers also characterize it as the close of an “era.”

One outlet (Yahoo Sports) also refers to Messi leading Argentina to the final at the 2026 World Cup, which differs from other coverage that frames the end around the July World Cup final. Other accounts focus more generally on the final loss and his overall international record, along with public reaction and tributes reported by Buenos Aires Times.