Lionel Messi on Monday announced his retirement from the Argentina national team in a lengthy, emotional note on social media. But right at the bottom of the Instagram post was a note saying the announcement was originally intended to be made two days after the FIFA World Cup 2026 final in New Jersey, but he delayed it until August 31.
Argentina's Lionel Messi (10) reacts after Spain's Ferran Torres scores their first goal during the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19 (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
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The 39-year-old, who made his debut for La Albiceleste in 2005, brought down the curtains on his 21-year career with the Argentina national team, with whom he won two Copa Américas and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, his crowning moment in football, labelled as the day ‘Messi completed football.’
Four years after his greatest-ever achievement, Messi and Argentina had the chance to script a historic double. However, the defending champions were outplayed and outsmarted in their 0-1 loss to Spain, where Ferran Torres broke the deadlock in the 106th minute to hand La Roja their second World Cup crown.
Deep Dive
Why did Lionel Messi delay his retirement announcement until August 31?
Lionel Messi initially penned his retirement announcement on July 21, two days after the World Cup final, but delayed releasing it due to the health issues of his father, Jorge Messi, who passed away on August 8.
What impact did Messi's father's death have on his retirement decision?
Messi stated that the passing of his father reinforced his belief that it was the right time to retire from international football, leading him to be more convinced about his decision.
How did Messi's international career achievements influence his legacy?
Messi's international career, highlighted by victories in the Copa América and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, established him as Argentina's all-time top scorer and significantly contributed to the debate over his status as one of the greatest footballers of all time.
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Heartbroken by the loss, Messi had contemplated retirement from international football right then. In his note on Monday, he revealed that the entire note was penned on July 21, two days after the final. However, he waited to make the announcement, with his father, Jorge Messi, facing health issues that eventually claimed his life. Jorge died on August 8, aged 68. Messi indicated that it made him even more certain about the decision.
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“I wrote these words on July 21st, two days after the final. Today, after what happened with my dad, I am even more convinced than before,” he wrote.
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“I wrote these words on July 21st, two days after the final. Today, after what happened with my dad, I am even more convinced than before,” he wrote.
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Messi had capped off a sensational World Cup campaign in North America, where he scored eight goals and provided four assists. He finished second in the Golden Boot race, behind France’s Kylian Mbappé, and won the Silver Ball, finishing second to Golden Ball award-winner Rodri.
During the tournament, he even scored his first-ever World Cup hat-trick en route to becoming the top scorer in the history of the tournament, surpassing Germany’s Miroslav Klose (16), and the first-ever to the 20-goal mark. However, the glory was short-lived, as Mbappé’s double in the third-place play-off against England saw the France captain move to 22 total World Cup goals.
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The 2026 World Cup was also his sixth — the joint-most editions played in by any player at the men’s tournament alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. He also featured in three tournament finals — 2014, 2022 and 2026. He remains the only player in World Cup history to win the Golden Ball twice — in 2014 and 2022.
Messi ended his Argentina career as the national team's most prolific goalscorer, with 125 goals in 207 appearances (record).
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
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Home/Sports/Football/Lionel Messi had decided to retire from Argentina 2 days after World Cup final: Why he waited until August 31
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