Football

Widely considered the greatest player in the history of the game, superstar Lionel Messi has finally brought his international career to an end at 39 years old.

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In the aftermath of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Messi announced he would not play again for Argentina, with the death of his father Jorge a large factor in his decision to hang up his Albiceleste boots.

For a long time, Messi’s international career was blighted by an inability to win major international trophies, but by the time it was all said and done, he had lifted just about every single trophy there is to win in the entire sport.

The Sporting News brings you a final look at his international career, as the Argentina legend cemented his legacy on both an individual and team level.

MORE: All the latest Lionel Messi news

All data either via Transfermarkt or MessivsRonaldo.app unless otherwise specified or linked.

Lionel Messi games played for Argentina

After the final match against Benin, Lionel Messi finishes his international career having played 208 games for Argentina.

The legendary footballer made his debut on August 17, 2005 as a second-half substitute against Hungary, in a match Argentina would win 2-1, but Messi received a red card just a minute after entering the field.

21 years later, his final match would come on October 6, 2026, leaving him second all-time in international matches played on the men’s side. He is second only to the 234 caps owned by Cristiano Ronaldo, with Luka Modric behind him in third with 204. It’s possible — likely, even, that Modric catches him soon.

In those games, he has played 17,112 minutes throughout his career.

Lionel Messi games played for Argentina

• FIFA World Cup: 34
• CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying: 72
• CONMEBOL Copa America: 39
• Finalissima: 1
• International Friendlies: 61
• TOTAL: 207

Lionel Messi goals scored for Argentina

Lionel Messi concludes his international career with 125 goals scored for his country.

That is the second-most in the history of the game, behind only the 146 for Cristiano Ronaldo and above the 108 for Ali Daeli of Iran.

His first career international goal came against Croatia in a 3-2 friendly defeat on March 1, 2006. He would score his final goal against Egypt in a 3-2 victory at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, aiding in a furious comeback that saw Argentina respond from down 2-0, with Messi’s goal the equalizer in the 83rd minute, before Enzo Fernandez won it in the 92nd minute.

On this day in 2006, Lionel Messi scored his first goal for the Argentina national team in a match vs. Croatia.pic.twitter.com/Nb9ikOJxoO

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— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) March 1, 2024

Messi has the second-most goals in World Cup history, briefly breaking Mario Gotze’s record in the 2026 competition before being passed just days later by Kylian Mbappe. He also has the most goals in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying, and has the joint-fifth-most goals in Copa America history.

He has scored 11 international hat-tricks, which is the most international triples in FIFA men’s history, and is one shy of American superstar Alex Morgan for the most on either the men’s or women’s side.

Lionel Messi goals scored breakdown

Goals scored in competitions:

• FIFA World Cup: 21
• CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying: 36
• CONMEBOL Copa America: 14
• Finalissima: 0
• International Friendlies: 54
• TOTAL: 207

Goals scored by type:

• Penalties: 25
• Free kick: 12
• Outside the box (open play): 15
• Inside the box (open play): 73
• Left foot: 111
• Right foot: 12
• Header: 2

Lionel Messi assists for Argentina

While assists can sometimes be a disputed statistic, it is largely held that Lionel Messi has 65 assists for his country, believed to be the most ever in international football.

For a long time, American forward Landon Donovan held the record for the most assists in international football with 58, but Messi passed him during the 2025 calendar year.

Neymar is third with 57, just one below Donovan.

Messi’s first career international assist actually came before his first goal, as he fed Juan Roman Riquelme for the first goal of a 3-0 friendly win over Qatar on November 16, 2005, just a few months before he would score his first ever international goal. It was maybe the easiest assist of them all, as he simply touched the ball to Riquelme in midfield before the striker buried a ludicrous long-range effort that bounced in after a poor dive by the goalkeeper saw him fail to keep it out.

Lionel Messi trophies for Argentina

One of the most fascinating things about Lionel Messi’s international career was how, for much of his time with Argentina, he was thought of as the best player never to win a major international trophy. For a long stretch of his career, Messi fell just short of many international trophies.

Then, in 2021, that all changed as a 33-year-old Messi led Argentina to the Copa America title, beating Brazil in the final.

From there, he would go on a generational run of international dominance, winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the 2022 Finalissima, and the 2024 Copa America, giving him four major international trophies.

Messi also won an Olympic gold medal in 2008, but that is considered a youth tournament, and as such is not considered a major international accomplishment.

* Not considered a major international trophy at the senior level.

MORE: All trophies won by Lionel Messi throughout his entire career for club and country

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