Debora ReySep 1, 2026 – 6.44amBuenos Aires | Argentina superstar Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international soccer on Tuesday AEST, ending 21 years of national-team duty that were capped by winning the World Cup in 2022 to secure his place in the pantheon of the game’s greatest ever players.“It was a decision that hurt — and still hurts deeply — but I understand that the time has come,” the 39-year-old Messi said on his Instagram account.APSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles