Lionel Messi calls time on Argentina national team career

Messi said that he feels he has given everything he has to the team after two decades of representing his country.

“It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep in my soul, but I understand that the time has come,” Messi wrote in a message posted on Instagram.

The Argentina captain said he had always given his all for the national team, not only during the years when the team won everything, but throughout his international career.

“There is not much time left, and chapters are coming to an end. This is one that hurts me deeply,” Messi said, adding that he has always loved playing for the national team and always will.

Messi also said that talented young players deserve an opportunity.

“I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are some great young players coming through who deserve to be there,” he wrote.

He thanked his family, coaches, teammates and football officials, as well as fans for their support over the past 20 years. Messi said he would now be one of the fans supporting the national team from the sidelines, “through good times and bad, even more so.”

The footballer said he was leaving with “the peace of mind and pride” of having given Argentine fans unforgettable moments together with his teammates.

Messi added that he had originally written the message on July 21, two days after the World Cup final, but said that after what happened to his father, he was now more convinced than ever.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Lionel Messi and his family attended the funeral of his father, Jorge Messi, in Rosario.