Argentine superstar Lionel Messi announced Monday that he is retiring from his country’s national team.
“It was a decision that hurt — and still hurts deep down — but I understand that the time has come,” he said in a statement on Instagram. “I swear to you that I always gave it my all — not just in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too; I always fought and left everything on the field for this jersey, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football.”
Messi is widely considered to be one of the sport's all-time greatest players, and for many he is at the top of the list. He is Argentina's all-time leading goalscorer, and he led his country to a World Cup victory in 2022. At club level, he is the all-time leading scorer for FC Barcelona and the Spanish soccer league La Liga.
Messi has won the Ballon d'Or trophy, given annually to the sport's top player, a record seven times. He has also won four Champions League titles with Barcelona.
