Messi retires from Argentina, ending record 207‑cap career
Lionel Messi, 39, confirmed on Monday 31 that he is hanging up his Argentina shirt after a 207‑match, 125‑goal spell, making him the nation’s all‑time appearance and scoring record holder; the announcement arrives just over a month after the Albiceleste fell 1‑0 to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final on 19 July.
Record‑breaking international career
Messi’s farewell caps a career that saw him become Argentina’s most‑capped player and top scorer, with 207 appearances and 125 goals for the Seleção. He added Copa América triumphs in 2021 and 2024, the 2022 Finalissima and the Qatar World Cup to a résumé that also includes painful losses in the 2014 World Cup final and the 2015 and 2016 Copa América finals.
In the Copa América Centenario semifinal against the hosts, Messi scored once and supplied two assists in a 4‑0 win, a performance that pushed him past Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina’s all‑time scorer. Later, he was named best player of the final in a 3‑0 victory where he created both goals, and in the quarter‑final against the Netherlands he assisted Nahuel Molina, converted a penalty and scored in the shoot‑out as Argentina triumphed 4‑3.
Messi also shone in a spectacular United States clash with Brazil, netting three times to seal a classic encounter after the South Americans had led at various stages.
Bombonera memories and farewell tribute
Although the Bombonero was never the main stage of his international saga, Messi featured in nine matches there, recording six wins, two draws and one defeat while finding the net six times – three against Haiti and one each versus Ecuador, Venezuela and Zambia.
The relationship with Boca Juniors began in 2017 and spanned almost a decade; the club’s official account posted a video that stitches together images of the 10‑shirt legend playing at La Bombonera, celebrating his contributions.
One memorable night was the farewell of Juan Román Riquelme on 25 June 2023, when Messi received an ovation and the crowd sang “Che Messi, Che Messi, dejate de joder…”. The chant captured the affection that the Xeneize faithful still hold for him.
While Messi’s two‑decade odyssey with the Argentina national team rewrote record books, his comparatively brief but vivid moments at the Bombonera have been immortalised by Boca’s tribute, underscoring how his legacy endures beyond the Seleção as he steps away from international football.