Lionel Messi Retires from Argentina: Records and Titles Left Behind
Theo Al Jazeera English
Lionel Messi officially retired from international football, closing a 21-year stint with Argentina. He leaves as the nation’s all-time leading scorer with 125 goals and a World Cup winner, among many other records.
Lionel Messi, one of the greatest players of all time, officially closed his two-decade international career with Argentina on Monday. The 39-year-old forward broke numerous records, won multiple titles, and left his mark with a host of goals and assists for the Albiceleste.
Here are the standout statistics from Messi’s international career:
1 World Cup title: Messi won his only World Cup in Qatar in 2022, helping Argentina claim their first title since 1986. He also featured in two other finals, in 2014 and 2026, losing to Germany and Spain respectively. Additionally, Messi earned an Olympic gold medal at Beijing 2008 at age 21, setting up Angel Di Maria for the decisive goal.
2 Copa America titles: Messi led Argentina to victory in 2021 and 2024. He is also the only player to win the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player twice, at the 2014 and 2022 World Cups.
3 World Cup finals: Messi is the only player to start in three World Cup finals (2014, 2022, 2026).
6 World Cups: Messi’s appearances at World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026) tie the record with long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
7 penalty goals: Messi holds the record for the most penalty goals in World Cup history.
11 Player of the Match awards: He also holds the record for the most Player of the Match honors at World Cups. The number 11 also marks his hat-tricks for Argentina, the most in the team’s history.
12 assists: Messi holds the record for the most assists at World Cups.
21 years of service: He played for Argentina from 2005 to 2026. With 21 goals in six World Cups, Messi is the second-highest scorer all-time at the tournament, just one behind France’s Kylian Mbappe.
34 World Cup appearances: Messi holds the record for the most matches played at World Cups.
39 Copa America appearances: He also has the most appearances at the tournament. At 39, Messi is also the oldest player to start a World Cup final, doing so at 39 years and 25 days.
60 assists: Messi is the player with the most assists for Argentina in international football history.
125 goals: Messi holds the record for the most goals by a South American player, with 125, double any other Argentine. This is second only to Cristiano Ronaldo (146 goals) in all-time men’s international scoring. The previous record belonged to Gabriel Batistuta with 54 goals in 78 matches from 1991 to 2002.
207 caps: Messi ended his career with 207 appearances for Argentina, a team record. The men’s international record remains with Ronaldo, who has 233 caps for Portugal.
2,314 minutes played: Messi has played the most minutes at World Cups, accumulated over six tournaments. He is also the only player to score at World Cups in his teens, 20s, and 30s.
