Lionel Messi has delivered an emotional farewell message to Argentina, reflecting on his 20 years with the national team and the extraordinary journey that ultimately saw him become a world champion.
In a heartfelt letter to the country he has represented since his international debut, Messi expressed his gratitude for every moment in an Argentina shirt, including the difficult years, painful defeats and historic victories.
“I have nothing left to do but thank this shirt,” Messi said, reflecting on the two decades he spent representing his country.
“For 20 years, even through the worst moments, I never stopped fighting, pushing forward, giving everything I had and wanting to be here.”
Messi admitted that no longer being part of the Argentina national team would be extremely difficult for him. Despite the pain of saying goodbye, he made it clear that his love for the national team would remain forever.
“If it were up to me, I would love to be here for my entire life. Playing for Argentina is the most beautiful thing there is,” he said.
However, Messi acknowledged that the time had come to close one of the most remarkable chapters of his football career.
The Argentine captain’s international journey was filled with both heartbreak and glory. For years, he faced intense criticism after Argentina suffered major final defeats, including the 2014 FIFA World Cup final and back-to-back Copa América final losses in 2015 and 2016.
Those disappointments eventually gave way to an extraordinary period of success.
Messi helped Argentina win the Copa América in 2021 before adding the Finalissima in 2022. Later that year, he finally achieved the greatest dream of his career when Argentina defeated France in a dramatic FIFA World Cup final in Qatar.
The final ended 3-3 after extra time before Argentina triumphed on penalties, with Messi scoring twice during the match and converting his own penalty in the shootout.
For Messi, the World Cup victory was the fulfilment of a childhood dream.
Looking back, he credited the teammates who stood beside him throughout the difficult moments and helped him achieve what once seemed almost impossible.
“To achieve the biggest things, you need a strong group,” Messi said.
He described his teammates as “warriors” and thanked them for helping him become a world champion.
Messi also urged Argentine supporters to continue standing behind the national team after his departure.
He acknowledged that difficult periods would come again, but insisted that those would be the moments when the team needed the support of its supporters most.
“You need strong, united groups because there will always be people who want to see the National Team fail, and we can’t give them that satisfaction,” he said.
Although he is stepping away from the national team, Messi made it clear that his connection with Argentina will not end.
“I’m going to miss all of you so much but I’ll always be on your side,” he said, promising to continue supporting the players currently representing Argentina and those who will come after them.
As he reflected on his journey, Messi also remembered his father, saying he was the first person who came to his mind.
The farewell represents the closing of an extraordinary international chapter for a player who spent two decades carrying Argentina’s hopes on the world’s biggest football stages.
Messi leaves behind a legacy defined not only by goals, assists and individual records, but also by perseverance. After years of disappointment, he eventually delivered the trophies Argentina had been waiting for.
The Copa América, Finalissima and FIFA World Cup became the defining achievements of his international career.
More importantly, Messi leaves knowing that he fulfilled the dream he had carried since childhood: becoming a world champion with Argentina.
“I’m going to miss playing here so much. I love you all, I’m proud to be Argentine.”
“I leave grateful, proud, at peace. Thank you.”
