Messi retirement leaves Argentina facing a new era after 21 years of service

Lionel Messi’s decision to retire from international football has been described by sports newspapers around the world as the end of an extraordinary chapter for Argentina and the wider game.

The 39-year-old announced his decision on Monday evening in an emotional handwritten message, saying the choice had “hurt me and still hurts me”. Messi said, however, that he believed the time had come to step away after giving everything he had to the national team and allowing a new generation the opportunity to emerge.

The announcement prompted a wave of reaction focused on the timing of his decision, his record-breaking achievements and the void he will leave after more than two decades in an Argentina shirt.

Argentine newspaper Ole described 31 August 2026 as a historic date that would remain in the country’s memory, saying Messi had established an “unmatched legacy”.

It highlighted his words, “I have exhausted everything I had”, presenting them as a summary of his long relationship with La Albiceleste rather than a detached announcement of his departure.

Ole also drew attention to the personal tone of Messi’s handwritten message. He said he had loved the national team and would continue to do so, but would now move from being a player on the pitch to a supporter backing Argentina from outside during both its good and difficult moments.

The newspaper quickly turned to the consequences of his retirement, including the impact on Argentina’s immediate planning and on Lionel Scaloni’s expected next squad. Messi’s departure, it suggested, does not simply close the story of one player; it begins a new phase for the national team.

Spanish newspaper Marca called the announcement a “global bombshell” and described it as the official conclusion of Messi’s 21-year international career, a period defined by trophies and records.

It also considered the effect on Argentina’s future, raising questions about Scaloni’s position and the identity of the team’s next leaders. Marca noted Messi’s international figures of 207 appearances and 125 goals, making him Argentina’s most-capped player and leading scorer.

Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo described Messi as “the best” and also referred to the announcement as “a bombshell in the world of football”. It wrote: “Lionel Messi, 39, considered by many to be the best player in the history of the beautiful game, has just announced his retirement from the Argentina national team.”

Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport took a more personal approach, using a headline built around the idea that the decision was “painful but necessary”.

The newspaper quoted Messi as saying: “I have nothing left to give, and there are great young players coming through who deserve to be here.” It linked the decision to the end of the “Flea’s” era with Argentina, while noting that he leaves the team as a World Cup winner and a two-time Copa America champion.

French newspaper L’Equipe focused on the length of his international career, reporting that Messi was retiring at 39 after more than 20 years with Argentina. It repeated his words that the decision still caused him pain internally, but that he felt the time was right.

French website Foot Mercato said the announcement “closes one of the important chapters in the history of Argentine football”. It added: “After bitter defeats in finals, Messi finally broke the curse in 2021, announcing the beginning of a golden era. It reached its peak with victory at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.”

The Indian Express used the headline “Messi retires from international football: football loses part of its soul”. It reported that the Argentina great had ended his national-team career after failing to defend the World Cup title and following the death of his father, Jorge.

TNT Sports Argentina published a farewell message saying: “You are a giant, captain.” The broadcaster also shared footage of one of its analysts, Pablo Giralt, struggling to hold back tears as he delivered the news to viewers.

The Sun wrote, “Messi retires from international football again”, recalling his first retirement announcement in 2016. The Telegraph said Messi had “ended a remarkable career in the Argentina shirt”, while German newspaper Bild described the decision as a “football shock”.

Portugal’s A Bola also called it “a bombshell in the world of football” and described the announcement as “the end of an era”.

German newspaper Die Zeit said Argentina and the rest of the world were beginning “a new countdown” after Messi’s decision. It reported that the announcement came 43 days after Argentina’s World Cup final defeat by Spain.

Die Zeit added that Messi wrote the retirement message on 21 July, two days after the final, before announcing the decision later. In the message, he explained that retirement “hurts my soul”, but said he was convinced that the time had arrived.