Argentina's star footballer Lionel Messi has confirmed that he will not wear the Argentina shirt again, bringing an end to an international career that included the FIFA World Cup and two Copa America titles.
Messi's World Cup title defence with Argentina did not end the way he had hoped, as Spain defeated them 1-0 in the final to lift the coveted trophy in the United States this year. The defeat also marked Messi's final appearance for Argentina.
A month after the defeat, the former Barcelona star announced his retirement from international football. On Monday, Messi confirmed his intention not to represent Argentina again.
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It is, however, not the first time Messi has walked away from international football.
The Argentine first announced his retirement in 2016 after Argentina lost the Copa America final to Chile. Messi had missed his penalty in the shootout, and the defeat marked another painful loss in a major final.
Messi's decision sent shockwaves through the sporting world as he was only 29-years-old at that point in time. Having endured repeated disappointments with Argentina, the forward said at the time that he had decided to step away from international football.
The announcement also prompted a reaction from his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Message To Messi In 2016
Ronaldo, who was playing for Portugal, sympathised with Messi following his decision to retire.
"Messi has taken a tough decision, and people should understand," Ronaldo had told Mundo Deportivo at that time.
"He is not accustomed to defeats and disappointments, not even finishing second. Missing a penalty does not make you a bad player," he added.
The Portuguese star urged people to understand the emotions behind what was clearly a difficult call for Messi. While Ronaldo could not have known what would follow in Messi's international career, he hoped the Argentine would reconsider his decision and return to represent his country.
"It hurts to see Messi in tears, and I hope he returns to his country, because he needs it," he said at the time.
Messi eventually did exactly that, and then his return changed the final chapter of his Argentina story. The forward went on to win the Copa America in 2021 and 2024 before reaching the pinnacle of international football with Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The World Cup triumph in 2022 was particularly significant, giving Messi the major international title that had eluded him for so long.
It also created a striking contrast with Ronaldo's international career, with the Portuguese star yet to win the FIFA World Cup.
Messi's Second International Retirement
This time, however, another U-turn appears unlikely as the 39-year-old has already confirmed that he does not intend to wear the Argentina shirt again after the World Cup final defeat to Spain.
The decision brings the curtain down on an international career that went from repeated heartbreak to arguably the biggest honours in football.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, has yet to confirm his own international future.
For Messi, the latest decision marks a very different ending to the one he had imagined when he first walked away from Argentina in 2016. What began as a career defined by painful final defeats eventually became one that included two Copa América titles and a World Cup title.
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