What to know
- Messi announced his retirement shortly after Argentina’s 1-0 World Cup final defeat to Spain.
- The 39-year-old captained Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022 and played in six tournaments.
- His retirement message came days after the final and followed his father’s passing.
- Fans and football organizations worldwide are paying tribute to Messi’s career and legacy
After a 1-0 loss to Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026, 39-year-old Argentinian football legend Lionel Messi is retiring from the field.
Lionel Messi had played in six World Cups and led Argentina to victory in Qatar 2022 against France. He’s been a fan-favourite soccer player, and FIFA Fan Fest was packed with fans during the 2026 World Cup final.
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Ultimately, Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in the July 19 World Cup final.
After a devastating loss, Messi announced his retirement from the international field via Instagram on Monday.
In his post, Messi wrote that he had originally penned the retirement message on July 21, two days after the final. Following his father’s passing on Aug. 8, Messi wrote that he was more convinced than ever to retire.
“It was a decision that hurt and still hurts my soul, but I understand that the time has come,” he wrote in the caption.
“I swear to you that I always gave it my all, not just in those final years when we won everything, but before that too; I always fought and poured my heart and soul into this jersey, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentinian through football.”
The soccer legend thanked his fans, family, trainers and colleagues for the last 20 years.
Upon news of his retirement, fans are thanking him for his service in the football world and sharing their hurt.
“Leo, tell me who I’m going to be watching now?” one Instagram user questioned.
“Some goodbyes hurt more than others… and this one feels like the end of an era,” another added.
But FIFA congratulated the soccer legend on his career.
“Congratulations on an incredible career!” the football association wrote.
“He came, he saw, he conquered,” a fan commented.
“Thank you for everything you gave to the game, captain,” another said.
NOTE: Lionel Messi’s original Instagram post was released in Spanish, and has been translated by Now Toronto’s reporter, who graduated with a minor in Spanish.
