Messi Retires From Argentina After 21 Years

Messi has stepped away before. After disappointing early years, he retired in 2016 but quickly changed his mind. Simon Kuper, a sports columnist for the Financial Times, told NPR (National Public Radio) that this time the decision seems permanent. Messi is 39, an age at which no player has stayed at the top, and he would be 43 by the next World Cup. Kuper praised Messi's final tournament, where he scored eight goals and led a flawed Argentina side to the final before losing to Spain. His father, who managed his business affairs, died recently, and Messi wrote that this confirmed his choice. He still plays for Inter Miami in the United States.

Argentina is planning a special goodbye. The Argentine Football Association said referees will stop every match in the next league round after 10 minutes so fans can applaud Messi for one minute. According to Kuper, the tribute shows how much football means to Argentina's national identity. He described Messi as a kind of patron saint for a country that has struggled economically for decades, placing him beside Diego Maradona as a national legend. Kuper said there can never be another Messi.