Share to ClassroomMessi Leaves Argentina National Team
Lionel Messi will not play for Argentina's national team anymore. He is 39. He wrote a note on Instagram on Monday. He said the decision hurts his soul. Messi played for Argentina for 21 years. He played 207 games and scored 125 goals. Both are records for Argentina. He helped Argentina win the World Cup in 2022.
Messi stopped playing for Argentina once before, in 2016. But he came back quickly. This time, experts think he will not come back. Writer Simon Kuper says no player has stayed at the top at 39. Messi's father, who managed his business, died recently. This helped Messi decide.
Argentina wants to thank Messi. Every match in the next league round will stop after 10 minutes. Fans will clap for Messi for one minute. Kuper says Argentina loves Messi very much. There will never be another Messi, he says.
