Lionel Messi retires from international football, prompting emotional tributes from Argentina teammates

Lionel Messi’s decision to retire from international football has triggered emotional tributes from his Argentina teammates, who thanked the legendary captain for his leadership, friendship and role in their greatest successes.

Goalkeeper Emi Martinez praised Messi for helping him become a world champion, while Angel Di Maria thanked him for choosing Argentina and taking the country “to the top of the world”.

Rodrigo highlighted Messi’s dedication and humanity, saying, “Your unconditional love for our country, your inner battles to never give up, your strength to always endure injustice, your leadership and humanity with every player who stepped onto the training ground, making sure they felt comfortable, and the care you showed every member of staff in our national team... Just thank you. The greatest of all time. Thank you for making us so incredibly happy. You can't imagine how many smiles you brought to our faces!! You are eternal.”

Lisandro’s tribute was especially personal. “My daughter will be very proud that her father shared a team with such an extraordinary human being,” he wrote, while calling Messi the “greatest athlete in history.”

Lautaro Martinez also thanked Messi for the lessons he taught the squad beyond football. “Thank you for every piece of advice, every talk, every training session, every hug, and every moment shared. Thank you for making history with us and for allowing us to be a part of your story. We're going to miss you so much, captain. We'll be eternally grateful to have shared this journey with you. Thank you for everything, captain,” Martinez said.

Leandro Paredes admitted he “wasn't ready” for the announcement, calling Messi a great teammate and friend.

Messi announced his retirement more than a month after Argentina’s 1-0 World Cup final loss to Spain and shortly after the death of his father, Jorge Messi.

“After all this time since the final, and after thinking about it a lot, I want to tell everyone that I'm retiring from the national team. It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep inside, but I understand that this is the right moment,” Messi wrote in his retirement note.

Messi leaves Argentina as its most-capped player and leading scorer, with 203 appearances and 124 goals. He won the 2021 and 2024 Copa America titles and the 2022 World Cup. He will continue playing for Inter Miami in MLS.