An era has come to an end: Lionel Messi has officially confirmed his retirement from the Argentina national team following a heartbreaking loss in the 2026 World Cup final. On Instagram, Lionel Messi published a message confirming his retirement from the Argentina national team. The captain reached the decision following Argentina’s 2026 World Cup final loss to Spain. On Monday, Messi took to social media to confirm he is stepping away from international duty. In an open letter detailing his decision, the forward revealed that he had written the words just two days after the final. “After taking time to reflect since the final, I want to let everyone know that I am retiring from the National Team,” Messi wrote. “It was a decision that hurt and still hurts to my core, but I understand that the time has come. I swear to you that I always gave my all—not just during these recent years when we won everything, but long before as well. I always fought and left everything on the pitch for this shirt, to bring you joy and make you proud to be Argentine through football. “Time is running short and chapters are coming to a close, and this is one that hurts me deeply. I love, have loved, and will always love being a part of the National Team. I emptied my tank; I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are incredibly talented young players coming up behind me who deserve to be here.” Ver esta publicación en Instagram Una publicación compartida por Leo Messi (@leomessi) Is Lionel Messi retiring from soccer? No, Lionel Messi is not retiring from soccer altogether—he is only stepping down from international duty with the Argentina national team. The forward remains under contract with Inter Miami through December 2028, and he is expected to fulfill that deal before hanging up his boots for good. Messi confirmed he had already considered retiring from international play following the World Cup final loss, drafting his farewell letter just two days after the match. His decision was later reaffirmed following the passing of his father. “I wrote these words on July 21, two days after the final,” Messi said at the end of the message. “Today, after what happened with my dad, I am even more convinced than before.” Will Lionel Messi have a farewell game with Argentina? Although Messi has announced his departure from the national team, supporters have wondered whether he might play one final exhibition in front of home fans. However, Messi has indicated he does not intend to put on the Albiceleste shirt again. Additionally, stadium capacity restrictions facing the national team following incidents at the end of the World Cup make hosting a proper stadium send-off highly unlikely.