Tributes have poured in from across the football world following Lionel Messi's decision to retire from international duty with Argentina, bringing the curtain down on one of the most decorated careers in the sport's history. The 39-year-old forward ends his time with the national team having scored 125 goals in 207 appearances, a body of work that culminated in World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022 and a further final appearance in 2026, alongside Copa America triumphs in 2021 and 2024.
Sir David Beckham, who co-owns Messi's current club Inter Miami, was among the first high-profile figures to react. Writing on Instagram, the former England captain said Messi had inspired "millions of children worldwide" and insisted his impact on the game would never fade. "This is the moment we get to look back on and realize how grateful we were to witness the greatness of a young kid with a dream," Beckham wrote. "Leo, you delivered the greatest gift to your country and, for that, your legacy will live forever. Congratulations on all you achieved for Argentina."
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho also acknowledged the significance of Messi's departure from the international stage, noting that major tournaments would feel different in his absence. Writing under Messi's own retirement post, Mourinho remarked that future editions of the Copa America and World Cup "won't be the same" without him. The two were regular adversaries during Mourinho's first spell in charge of Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, a period in which Messi claimed the Ballon d'Or in three straight years from 2010 to 2012.
Messi's former international teammates were equally effusive. Angel di Maria, who played alongside him for Argentina and later at Paris Saint-Germain, hailed him as simply "the greatest of all time," adding that he felt fortunate to have shared so many years in the national team set-up with him. "All I know is that I was born in the right century to be able to witness you play, relish your performances and, on top of that, share all those years with you in the national team," di Maria said.
Cristian Romero, who won the World Cup with Messi in 2022 and previously played in the Premier League with Tottenham, described growing up dreaming of one day meeting his idol, never imagining he would go on to share in what he called the golden era of the Argentine national side. Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez echoed similar sentiments, revealing that as a boy he had merely hoped to play alongside Messi once. Reflecting on how far beyond that dream reality had taken him, Fernandez said: "Life ended up being far more beautiful than that boy was able to imagine. I didn't just get to play with you, but we shared training camps, the dressing room, the conversations, the embraces, the difficult moments, the wonderful moments, and we ended up world champions together."
Messi's international career, spanning more than two decades, saw him transform from a promising young talent into arguably the most celebrated player of his generation, finally securing the World Cup that had eluded Argentina for 36 years when they lifted the trophy in Qatar. His retirement marks the definitive end of an era for both Argentine football and the sport as a whole, with peers, rivals and admirers alike lining up to acknowledge the scale of what he achieved wearing the sky blue and white shirt.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.