After Argentina’s dramatic 1–0 loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final this summer, Lionel Messi simply took a seat in the grass, stretching his legs out and looking up to soak it all in: the loss, the singing fans, the atmosphere. “The King is dead,” the cry went. It was perhaps in that very moment that the 39-year-old, having competed in a record-sixth World Cup, knew he would never again appear on the international stage.
Messi announced his retirement from international soccer on Monday, hanging up his Argentinian jersey after over 20 years of awe-inspiring performances on the global stage.
