AFP Sport looks back at the moments that defined Messi’s career with his country. Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football on Monday, six weeks on from Argentina’s defeat in the World Cup final and after over 200 appearances for his country stretching across more than two decades.
Messi won the Copa America in 2021 and the 2022 World Cup, but ended his career with a 2026 World Cup final loss to Spain.
Messi got his team’s final goal in Gelsenkirchen — the first game and goal of what would become a legendary relationship with the World Cup. First World Cup final Messi went to Brazil as captain of Alejandro Sabella’s team, and made a flying start by scoring in every group game. The goals then dried up, but he took Argentina to their first World Cup final since the days of Maradona, only for the Albiceleste to fall short against Germany at the Maracana.
The following June he made his first World Cup appearance in the 6-0 win over Serbia and Montenegro with which Argentina began the 2006 tournament in Germany. Messi skippered his country to another title at the 2024 Copa America before going into a record-equalling sixth World Cup this year in the USA. He was about to turn 39, but doubts about his age were blown away as Messi scored eight goals in his team’s first five games and helped inspire them to another final. Messi has played more World Cup matches than anyone else (34) and scored 21 goals overall. He became only the second player to appear in three different World Cup finals, but he and Argentina were abject as they lost in extra time to Spain — an anti-climactic ending to an international career spanning 207 matches and 125 goals.
