Lionel Messi brought his Argentina career to an emotional close with a farewell speech that looked back over more than two decades in the national shirt, from the hardest evenings to the trophies that changed the team’s modern history. The Albiceleste captain spoke of his father, his team-mates and the supporters who followed the side across continents, admitting that stepping away would bring one of the most painful days of his career.
“It is hard to say anything today because there are so many emotions,” Messi said. “The first person I think of is my father. All I can do is give thanks.”
He described representing Argentina for over 20 years as an immense honour, insisting that he had never stopped fighting or giving everything even during the most difficult periods. Yet the thought of no longer reporting for international duty was, he said, deeply painful. “I would like to be here for ever,” he said, calling playing for Argentina the finest experience a footballer could have, before adding that he felt the time had come.
Messi reflected on the most recent World Cup, where Argentina came close to regaining the global title. He rejected any suggestion of a mysterious reason behind the outcome, pointing instead to the physical and emotional toll of the match against England. Argentina had arrived at the next stage with little left, he said, but fought in the manner the squad always had.
The captain made a point of embracing every generation of team-mate from his long international journey: those alongside whom he won and those who did not become world champions. He thanked the current group for the time they shared, crediting them with helping him win the World Cup, Copa America and Finalissima, as well as the other competitions they contested together.
He said he had gone into matches knowing he had “warriors” beside him, players prepared to give everything for the shirt. Their bond, he added, went beyond the pitch.
The farewell also belonged to Argentina’s travelling public. Messi recalled full stadiums wherever the team played, supporters making major sacrifices to reach World Cups and other fixtures. Argentina, he said, had so often felt like the home side regardless of the country.
Among his most treasured memories was returning to play there after lifting the World Cup. He said watching videos of that occasion still moved him, describing it as one of the happiest moments of his life.
“Today may be the saddest day of my career,” Messi said. “I will be on the other side, supporting these players and those who come next.”
His final message was one of unity. Messi warned that difficult moments would return and said the national team must remain together rather than offer satisfaction to those who wanted to see it fail. Strong teams, he said, are needed to achieve major objectives, and adversity is when the strength of a group is truly revealed.
After an unusually long address, Messi ended simply: “Thank you very much. I love you.”
