Lionel Messi's international retirement serves as a reminder: Watch him while you still can

Lionel Messi’s retirement from international football at age 39 has landed as both a definitive closing of his Argentina chapter and a jolt for fans who still see his peak output on the pitch. The move caps a career that began with the 2026 World Cup’s painful end—Argentina losing the final to Spain—where Messi cried after what he appeared to play in his final match in the national team kit. Yet the tournament also featured his signature bursts: three goals vs. Algeria, a knockout-stage push against Austria, and a late equalizer against Egypt. Messi scored or assisted 185 times in 207 caps and holds 34 World Cup appearances. He also remains a key figure at Miami, but the international exit raises uncertainty over whether he’ll finish his 2028 contract.