Messi retires from Argentina duty with 'nothing left to give'

What the report says

Lionel Messi has announced that he is ending his international career with Argentina, saying the decision was painful but that the time had come. The report says the 39-year-old forward, who captained Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title, made the announcement in a statement and on Instagram. He said he had given everything to the national team and had “nothing left to give,” while also pointing to the next generation of Argentine players as a reason to step aside.

According to the publisher, Messi leaves as Argentina’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, with 125 goals in 207 appearances. His international record includes World Cup and Copa America success, and the article notes that his career at club level will continue with Major League Soccer side Inter Miami. The piece also places his decision in the context of a difficult period after the recent death of his father, Jorge, and says Messi had been reflecting on his future before confirming the move.

The article adds some background on his Argentina debut in 2005, when he was sent off shortly after coming on as a substitute in a friendly against Hungary. It also recalls that Messi had briefly retired from international football in 2016 before reversing course. More broadly, his departure marks the end of one of modern football’s most significant international careers, shaped by a long-running rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo and by Argentina’s long-awaited World Cup triumph in Qatar.