Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football after ending his Argentina career with 125 goals, bringing the curtain down on one of the greatest international careers in the history of the game.
The 39-year-old’s final goal for the national team came against Egypt in the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup. That strike took his international tally to 125, completing a scoring journey that began more than two decades earlier with a goal against Croatia.
Messi scored his first Argentina goal on 1 March 2006 in a friendly against Croatia. He had come on as a substitute before making an immediate impact, opening his account for the national side and beginning an extraordinary run of goals in the famous blue and white shirt.
That match also marked the international debut of Luka Modric, who was 20 at the time. Messi was 18 when he scored his first goal for Argentina. A video from the fixture was later shared by TyC Sports, highlighting the beginning of two remarkable international careers.
From that first goal onwards, Messi became Argentina’s record scorer and the central figure in a golden generation that eventually returned the team to the summit of world football.
His greatest international successes began with victory at the 2021 Copa America. Argentina then won the 2022 World Cup, with Messi leading the side to glory, before adding another Copa America title in 2024. The team also reached the final of the 2026 World Cup, extending the final chapter of Messi’s international story.
By the time of his retirement, Messi had made 207 appearances for Argentina and scored 125 goals. Those figures leave him as the country’s all-time leading scorer and one of the most influential players in the history of football.
His relationship with international football has not always been straightforward. Messi previously announced his retirement from Argentina duty after the defeat by Chile in the 2016 Copa America final. He later reversed that decision and went on to produce the most successful period of his international career.
The forward’s return ultimately led to the Copa America triumph in 2021, the World Cup victory in Qatar in 2022 and another continental title in 2024. His final appearance at the 2026 World Cup added one more major stage to a career defined by records, trophies and decisive moments.
Now, following his last goal against Egypt and the official confirmation of his retirement, Messi has ended his time with Argentina. His 207 caps, 125 goals and collection of international honours leave a legacy that will remain central to the history of the national team and the wider game for years to come.
