Lionel Messi Announces Retirement From Argentina National Team After 20-Year; Check His Net Worth

Argentina football legend Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 39, ending one of the most impressive careers in the history of the Argentina national team.

Messi confirmed his decision on Monday through an emotional Instagram post featuring a handwritten message in Spanish
The announcement marks the end of Messi's more than two-decade journey with the Argentina national team, during which he became the country's most-capped player and all-time leading scorer. Messi leaves international football with 207 appearances and 125 goals, along with a World Cup title and two Copa América trophies.

Lionel Messi Retirement

Messi shared his decision with fans after Argentina's defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.

In his handwritten message, Messi said the decision was painful but acknowledged that he believed the time had come to close this chapter.
Messi said that he had actually written the retirement message on July 21, two days after the World Cup final. However, he waited before publicly announcing the decision.

Messi's Last Appearance On Ground

Messi's final appearance for Argentina came in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Spain, where Argentina suffered a 2-1 defeat.
Despite the defeat, Messi's international legacy is extraordinary. He represented Argentina at six FIFA World Cups, winning the tournament in 2022 and finishing as runner-up in 2014 and 2026.

Recently Messi announced it after the death of his father, Jorge Messi, who died on August 8 at the age of 68.

Lionel Messi Net Worth 2026

Lionel Messi has also built a billion-dollar fortune. According to Forbes, Messi's real-time net worth stood at approximately $1.1 billion as of August 30, 2026. Forbes estimates that he has earned around $1.8 billion throughout his career from football, endorsements and other business ventures, before taxes and agents' fees.

Forbes estimated his total earnings at around $140 million over the previous 12 months, including approximately $70 million from on-field income and another $70 million from off-field activities.