Messi Retires from National Team; Last Game Set for Buenos Aires

On August 31, Lionel Messi announced his retirement from the Argentine national team, bringing an end to a two‑decade career that yielded one World Cup, two Copa América crowns and a record 207 appearances. In his statement, Messi said, "It is with heavy hearts that I retire, but I understand the time has come." Over 207 caps, he netted 125 goals, becoming Argentina's all‑time leading scorer. The forward debuted at 18 in 2005 and later guided the side to the finals of the 2014 World Cup and the victorious campaign in Qatar 2022, where he contributed eight goals and four assists.