Lionel Messi retires from Argentina international duty: ‘A decision that hurts my soul’

Lionel Messi, 39, confirmed his retirement from Argentina international football on Monday via Instagram, stating the decision 'hurts deep in my soul.' His final appearance was a World Cup final defeat against Spain, in which Argentina managed only two shots in 120 minutes; it was Messi's sixth World Cup and made him only the second player ever to appear in three men's World Cup finals, having won in 2022 and finished runner-up in 2014. Messi's retirement announcement came shortly after the death of his father, Jorge, who passed away aged 68 on August 8.