Messi mourns loss of father Jorge following illness
Lionel Messi's father Jorge has passed away following illness in Argentina.
Event / Sports
Lionel Messi International Retirement
Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football on August 31 at age 39, ending a 20-year career with Argentina. He scored 125 goals in 207 matches, won the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and led Argentina to consecutive Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024. His final match was Argentina's loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final. Messi will continue playing professionally with Inter Miami CF in MLS.
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2026-09-01 to 2026-11-07 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 1 Sept, 00:16 UTC
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What happened
Messi previously attempted retirement in 2016
After Argentina lost the 2016 Copa América final on penalty kicks—which included a penalty miss by Messi—he announced his retirement from the national team. He reversed this decision weeks later, stating he did not want to create problems for Argentine football and preferred to fix issues from inside rather than criticize from outside.
Argentina loses to Spain in 2026 World Cup final
Argentina reached the FIFA World Cup final in 2026 but lost 1-0 to Spain in extra time. Messi scored eight goals in the tournament, the second-most after Kylian Mbappé's 22 goals. Messi wrote his retirement announcement two days after this final.
Messi continues playing for Inter Miami in MLS
Messi will continue his professional club career with Inter Miami CF, an MLS team. His contract with Inter Miami runs through the 2028 MLS season. He scored four goals against CF Montreal in a recent match and leads the league with 18 goals scored.
Messi's father Jorge passed away after illness
Messi's father Jorge died at age 68 after battling an illness. Jorge was unable to attend the 2026 World Cup in person. Messi's decision to retire was reinforced by his father's death, which occurred after the World Cup final.
Lionel Messi announces retirement from Argentina national team
Lionel Messi, 39, announced on August 31 that he is retiring from the Argentina national team after 20 years of international play. Messi made the announcement via Instagram post, stating the decision "hurts deep down" but that he understands "the time has come." He wrote that he always gave everything for the Argentina jersey and that there are young players deserving of their spot.
Messi's Argentina career statistics and major achievements
Over his international career, Messi scored 125 goals in 207 total matches for Argentina, including 71 goals in 147 official tournament matches. He won the 2022 FIFA World Cup, reaching the World Cup final in 2026 (lost to Spain), won the Copa América in 2021 and 2024, and played in six World Cups total. He became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history before being surpassed by Kylian Mbappé.
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2 alternative perspectives
Argentina falls to Spain in 2026 World Cup final
Argentina lost to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.
Messi announces retirement from Argentina national team
Messi retires from Argentina national team after storied international career.