Argentina is mourning Lionel Messi’s decision to end his career with the national team, a move the country had anticipated but still received with deep emotion on Monday.
Supporters reflect on Messi’s legacy
In Buenos Aires’ leafy Belgrano district, 18-year-old university student Francisca Mieth said saying goodbye would be painful, while expressing gratitude for the happiness Messi had brought Argentina.
Dog walker Jose Aramburu, who lives nearby, said the forward’s determination had made an enduring impression on the nation. The 36-year-old praised Messi for continuing to chase his ambition despite the opinions of others, saying his greatest gift was the example of insisting, persevering and pursuing a goal.
A decorated international career comes to an end
Messi, 39, confirmed his retirement from Argentina duty in an Instagram post on Monday. The captain, who led his country to the 2022 World Cup title and another final in 2026, described the decision as one that “hurts the soul.”
His presence had been impossible to miss throughout this year’s World Cup. Billboards featuring Messi filled central Buenos Aires, while an 85-foot statue of him dominated the skyline of a Patagonian town.
- Residents of the town gathered beside the statue to watch Argentina’s match against England on a screen positioned near its enormous knees.
- During the tournament, Messi extended his scoring records, and supporters filled the streets with renditions of “Happy Birthday” when he celebrated his 39th birthday in June.
Messi said his father’s death in August, following a prolonged illness, had solidified his decision to bring his international career to a close.
Argentina faces the end of an era
“The end of an era” was the headline carried by an Argentine newspaper as the country absorbed the news.
A psychologist speaking on local television warned against searching for a direct successor, arguing that no future player should be forced to carry the burden of replacing Messi.
Tributes also spread across social media, including messages from several of Messi’s former Argentina teammates. Angel Di Maria, who retired from international football in 2024, thanked him for giving the country a source of lifelong pride, writing that Argentines would remain grateful to him for being one of their own.
