Argentina are the thwo-time defending champions of the Copa America, and it would have been quite the stage for the legend to retire. Because his father was facing health issues that eventually claimed his life, however, Messi explained on Monday that he had already written his retirement letter on July 21, two days after losing the FIFA World Cup final, but waited to publish it. After Argentina lost the FIFA World Cup 2026 final to Spain, the thought had already crossed fans’ minds: Is this the end of Lionel Messi? The optimists hoped that the legend might continue until 2028, when the Copa America takes place. Jorge Messi died on August 8 in his native Rosario, Argentina.
Today, after what happened with my dad, I am more convinced than ever,” he wrote at the end of the note that he posted regarding his retirement. “I wrote these words on July 21, two days after the final. Lionel Messi has ended his career as a player for the Argentina national team at 39 years old, after nearly two decades representing the national side. Messi, who played in six World Cups, won the tournament in Qatar in 2022 and led Argentina to the final in 2026, where they lost to Spain. Messi made his debut for the senior national team in 2006, but his journey was fraught with frustration until he finally lifted the World Cup in 2022. Messi played for Inter Miami over the weekend, scoring four goals in a 7-1 win over CF Montreal.
