Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Final - Spain v Argentina - New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S. - July 19, 2026 Argentina's Lionel Messi during the match. (Reuters File)
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Lionel Messi, who captained Argentina to World Cup victory in 2022 and the final in 2026, said on Monday in a post on Instagram that he would be leaving Argentina’s national team.
“It was a decision that hurt — and still hurts deep down — but I understand that the time has come. I swear to you that I always gave it my all — not just in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too; I always fought and left everything on the field for this jersey, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football,” the 39-year-old posted on Instagram.
“I leave with the peace of mind and pride of having given you — alongside my teammates — moments we once only dreamed of,” he added.
(Reporting by Nicolas Misculin; Additional reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien)
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