Messi’s Argentina story runs from Croatia debut to Egypt farewell

Lionel Messi has ended his international career with Argentina after a record-breaking 125 goals, closing a more than two-decade journey that began against Croatia and finished with his final strike against Egypt at the 2026 World Cup.

The Argentina captain announced his retirement from international football after reaching the landmark total in 207 appearances for his country. His final goal came in Argentina’s last-16 meeting with Egypt at the 2026 World Cup, bringing to an end one of the most decorated and influential international careers in football history.

Messi scored his first goal for Argentina on 1 March 2006, in a friendly against Croatia. He came on as a substitute and quickly made an impact, marking the beginning of an extraordinary scoring record with the national team.

That match also featured the international debut of Luka Modric, who was 20 at the time, while Messi was 18.

In 2006, Argentina played Croatia in a friendly.20-year-old Luka Modric made his international debut, and 18-year-old Leo Messi scored his first international goal 👶(via@TyCSports)pic.twitter.com/BpUI2VXoZ4

Over the years, Messi became Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer and the central figure in a golden generation that restored the team to the top of international football.

He led Argentina to the Copa America title in 2021, ending a lengthy wait for a major senior international trophy. A year later, he captained the side to the 2022 World Cup in what became one of the defining achievements of his career.

Argentina then added another Copa America triumph in 2024, before reaching the final of the 2026 World Cup. Messi’s final international goal followed in the last-16 tie against Egypt, taking his tally to 125 before he formally confirmed his retirement from the national team.

His final Argentina record stands at 207 caps and 125 goals, numbers that make him the country’s most prolific scorer and one of the most significant players ever to represent a national side.

Messi had previously announced his international retirement after Argentina lost the 2016 Copa America final. He subsequently reversed that decision and went on to produce the finest chapter of his career with the national team, including the titles won in 2021, 2022 and 2024.

This time, however, he has decided to bring his Argentina career to a definitive close. His departure leaves behind a record that includes more than 200 international appearances, an unmatched goalscoring total for the country and a collection of defining moments that will remain part of Argentina’s football history for years to come.