Twenty-one years, 207 video games and 125 targets after making his Argentina debut, Lionel Messi has confirmed his retirement from international football.
Whereas that is truly the second time the now-39-year-old has introduced his worldwide retirement, having beforehand executed so after his crew completed as runners-up within the 2016 Copa América, on this event there’s a sense of finality round his resolution.
His final sport for La Albiceleste — the 1-0 World Cup ultimate defeat to Spain on July 19 — meant his worldwide profession was left with out the proper ending, however with three main worldwide triumphs already to his title, Messi has greater than lived as much as Diego Maradona’s Argentina legacy.
Right here we check out Messi’s legendary Argentina profession, by the numbers.
– Messi has led Argentina to a few titles: 2021 Copa América, 2022 World Cup and 2024 Copa América
– He was instantly concerned in 185 targets in 207 matches for Argentina, scoring 125 targets and aiding 60
– Messi scored 111 of his 125 Argentina targets along with his trusty left foot. He scored 12 along with his proper, two along with his head and one along with his torso.
– The Argentine briefly turned the main scorer in males’s World Cup historical past throughout this summer season’s event in North America earlier than he was overtaken by France‘s Kylian Mbappé. Messi has scored 21 targets on the World Cup, whereas Mbappé has 22
– Messi has each scored (7) and missed (3) probably the most penalties on the World Cup
– No participant in historical past has featured in additional World Cups than Messi (6)
– No participant in historical past can match Messi for World Cup appearances (34), matches received (23), assists (12), targets scored from exterior the penalty space (6)
– Messi is the one participant to have began three World Cup finals (2014, 2022, 2026) and he’s the oldest outfield participant to play in a World Cup ultimate (39y, 25d)
– Messi holds the document for many main event targets in males’s historical past with 35 (World Cup/EUROs/Copa América/Gold Cup/AFCON/AFC Asian Cup/OFC Nations Cup)
– His worldwide retirement comes simply over 21 years after he made his nationwide crew debut on Aug. 17, 2005 in opposition to Hungary — a sport by which he got here on instead and was proven a purple card inside one minute of being launched after he was adjudged to have elbowed Vilmos Vanczák
– Messi scored 11 hat methods for Argentina, along with his final coming within the first sport of the 2026 World Cup
How does Messi’s worldwide profession examine to Cristiano Ronaldo’s?
– Messi’s 125 targets and 207 profession worldwide appearances are each the second most amongst males’s nationwide crew gamers. Solely Portugal‘s Cristiano Ronaldo (146 in 233 video games) has extra video games and targets in males’s internationals
– The Argentine has received three main trophies along with his nation (2021 Copa América, 2022 World Cup and 2024 Copa América), whereas Ronaldo has received one (Euro 2016). Messi additionally received the 2022 Finalissima, whereas Ronaldo and his Portugal teammates lifted the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League.
– Ronaldo has 1 profession objective and 0 assists within the World Cup knockout stage (9 video games). By comparability, Messi had 7 targets and 10 assists in 17 profession World Cup knockout stage matches
– Messi (60.39%) has a barely decrease goals-per-game ratio than Ronaldo (62.66%) on the worldwide stage
– 25 of Messi’s 125 worldwide targets got here from the penalty spot — two greater than Ronaldo’s
– Messi scored another free kick for Argentina than Ronaldo has managed for Portugal (12 vs. 11)
– Ronaldo has scored extra targets in opposition to groups that had been positioned increased within the FIFA rankings than Messi — vs. Prime 10: Messi (17), Ronaldo (18), vs. Prime 20: Messi (32), Ronaldo (30), vs. Prime 30: Messi (49), Ronaldo (46)
Data from ESPN’s International Sports activities Analysis contributed to this story.
