When Lionel Messi announced his international retirement for the first time in 2016, the football world was stunned. He was only 29, Argentina had just suffered another heartbreaking defeat and Messi had missed a penalty in the Copa America final against Chile.Among those to react was Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi’s long-time rival. Rather than criticising the decision, Ronaldo urged fans to understand what his fellow superstar was going through.“Messi has taken a tough decision, and people should understand,” Ronaldo told Mundo Deportivo at the time.Ronaldo believed the repeated defeats had taken an emotional toll on Messi, who had suffered another major setback with Argentina after losing the 2014 FIFA World Cup final to Germany and the 2015 Copa America final to Chile.“He is not accustomed to defeats and disappointments, not even finishing second. Missing a penalty does not make you a bad player,” Ronaldo added.The Portuguese star also made it clear that he did not want Messi’s international career to end there. Seeing his rival in tears after the final, Ronaldo hoped the Argentine would eventually change his mind.“It hurts to see Messi in tears, and I hope he returns to his country, because he needs it,” Ronaldo said.
Messi eventually returned
Ronaldo’s wish came true.Messi reversed his decision and returned to Argentina duty, eventually turning the most painful period of his international career into one of the greatest redemption stories in football.He helped Argentina end a 28-year wait for a major international trophy by winning the Copa America in 2021. He then guided the team to another Copa America title in 2024.The biggest moment came at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.After years of disappointment, Messi finally lifted the World Cup, scoring twice in the final against France and converting his penalty in the shootout after the match finished 3-3 following extra time. Argentina won 4-2 on penalties to claim their first World Cup since 1986.
Messi retires again
Messi has now announced his international retirement for a second time.More than a month after Argentina lost the 2026 World Cup final 1-0 to Spain in North America, Messi confirmed that he would no longer play for the national team. His decision also came days after the death of his father, Jorge Messi, who died on August 8 in Rosario at the age of 68.In a written statement, Messi said the decision had been painful but that he believed it was the right moment to walk away.“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 said.He insisted that he had always given everything for Argentina and the national-team shirt.“I swear I always gave everything, not only in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too. I always fought and gave everything for this shirt, to bring you happiness and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football,” he added.Messi also acknowledged that there was little time left in this chapter of his career and pointed towards the next generation of Argentine players.“There is not much time left, and different chapters are coming to an end. This is one that hurts me a lot. I love, I loved, and I will always love being part of the national team. I gave everything I had, and I don’t have anything more to give. Also, there are great young players coming through who deserve to be here,” he said.
A very different ending
The circumstances surrounding Messi’s second retirement are very different from 2016.The first time, he walked away after another final defeat and a missed penalty, still searching for his first major international trophy with Argentina.This time, he leaves after winning the Copa America twice and finally delivering the World Cup his country had waited 36 years to celebrate.Messi finishes his Argentina career as the country’s most-capped player and leading goalscorer, with 203 appearances and 124 goals. He also leaves as the highest goalscorer in South American football history.Across six World Cups between 2006 and 2026, Messi scored 21 goals in 34 matches. He finished second on the tournament’s all-time goalscoring list, behind Kylian Mbappe’s 22.He will continue his club career with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.Ronaldo’s 2016 message, therefore, now carries a different meaning. When Messi first walked away, his greatest international achievements were still ahead of him. Ronaldo had hoped his rival would return, and Messi ultimately did, going on to win the trophies that had once seemed beyond his reach.
