Monday, August 31, 2026, marked the end of an era. And this time, it sure is a certainty, with no chance of a turnaround.
He had been awarded the Ballon d’Or five times by then, won eight La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies with Spanish giants Barcelona. By the mid-2010s, Messi had achieved it all at club level, and the numbers were insane. Messi had touched greatness with those records, but his Argentina story denied him the status Diego Maradona, the player to whom he has been forever compared, had attained. Messi collected his second Golden Ball award that year.
In the 2014 World Cup, Messi had won the Golden Ball. Two years later, with a superb free-kick in the semi-final of the Copa América, he became Argentina’s highest scorer with 55 goals, eclipsing striker Gabriel Batistuta’s 54-goal mark. It was the crowning moment of his career, coming after Argentina avenged their 2014 World Cup loss to Germany by beating France 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw in a final widely regarded as one of the greatest ever played.
Back in 2016, a heartbroken 29-year-old had walked away from international duty. It’s useless trying to make a leader out of a man who goes to the toilet 20 times before a game,” he had said. Along the way, he became Argentina’s most-capped player and the third player in men’s international football history to score more than 100 goals. The final numbers: 207 caps, 125 goals, 65 assists, a World Cup, two Copa America titles, a Finalissima and Olympic gold from 2008.
Ten years later, he announced his retirement for the second time, this time with his head held high, his tone and decision far more content. For Lionel Messi had retired from the Argentina national team before. For between then and now, Messi had scripted the most improbable second act in football history. “I’ve done all I can. It hurts not to be a champion. “He’s a great player but he’s not a leader. More importantly, he found a team that was learning to be his team — and he allowed himself to lead it that way. Two World Cup Golden Balls. Argentina’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, full stop.
“For me, the national team is over,” he had said after defeat by Chile in the Copa América final, where he missed a penalty in the shootout.
