Argentina legend Lionel Messi announced his international retirement.
39-year-old Messi, widely considered the greatest football player of all time, won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with Argentina, bringing the title back to the country for the first time since 1986.
The 2026 World Cup, Messi's last appearance in the world's most well-known footballing competition, ended in disappointment for Argentina after its loss to Spain in the final.
Retirement comes at 'right time'
"It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep in my soul," Messi posted on his Instagram account, adding that he wrote his international retirement message two days after the World Cup final defeat to Spain.
