Argentina’s Lionel Messi retires from international football: ‘This hurts me a lot’

  • 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 international football seven weeks after Argentina were beaten by Spain in the World Cup final in the US. The 39-year-old captained Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022 and two Copa América titles after winning his first cap in 2005.

On Monday, Messi posted a picture on Instagram of notes that he wrote on 21 July, two days after the World Cup final, confirming he was ending his Argentina career and said the death of his father, Jorge, in early August made him feel “more convinced than before”. Messi was often visibly emotional during the tournament and revealed during the knockout stages that Jorge was undergoing medical treatment.

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