@fetch_media1: Lionel Messi announced today (31/8) that he is officially retiring from international football competition. Since joining the Argentinian national team in 2005, the 39-year-old legend has won the World Cup in 2022 and finished second in 2014 and 2026 while also winning two Copa América titles. Messi stated in his announcement that he wrote his retirement statement two days after the 2026 World Cup final, and that the death of his father, Jorge, confirmed that it was the appropriate time to publish it and end his international career. Messi writes, “Time is running short, chapters come to a close, and this is one that hurts me deeply. I love, have loved, and will always love being part of the national team. I’ve given everything I had; I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are some great young players coming up who deserve to be here.” [📷 Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images] #FetchMedia #Messi #Argentina #Football #Sports

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Monday 31 August 2026 15:59:31 GMT