Lionel Messi has retired from the Argentina team. In a handwritten note posted on Instagram on August 31, he said younger players deserve their turn. He wrote it on July 21, two days after the World Cup final loss to Spain, and held it back because his father, Jorge, was seriously ill. Jorge died on August 8.
That father is where the story starts.
Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario to working parents. His father worked at a steel factory, while his mother worked in a magnet workshop. Jorge coached him at a local club, Grandoli, when he was around five. Around ten, doctors found a growth hormone deficiency, and the treatment reportedly cost close to $900 a month. Barcelona offered to pay. Carles Rexach is said to have sealed the deal on a paper napkin in December 2000. Jorge moved his son to Spain, and the family’s whole life bent around the boy’s football.
He debuted for Barcelona at 16 and went on to win a record eight Ballon d’Or awards. He left in 2021, spent two years at PSG, then joined Inter Miami in 2023.
Messi’s Argentina journey
Argentina was the harder road. His international debut in 2005 lasted 47 seconds before a red card. He retired once before, in 2016, after a third straight final defeat, and was talked back. Qatar 2022 finally ended the argument, and he leaves after 20 years with the team.
What comes next for Lionel Messi?
So what does he do now? First, he plays on. The retirement is from Argentina only, and he continues at club level with Inter Miami. On the national team, he has said he will now be another fan, cheering from outside the squad.
Second, he is building a life in club ownership. In April, he bought UE Cornellà, a fifth-tier club on the edge of Barcelona, as a nursery for young players. On October 1, second-division CD Eldense announced him as owner, pending approval from Spain’s sports council, the CSD. The target this season is simply to avoid relegation, and former Villarreal boss Javi Calleja has been hired to manage it.
Messi plans to run both clubs through trusted people until he can give them his full attention. For now, he follows every Eldense match on his computer. After their 4-1 win over Real Oviedo, his first message as owner was an Instagram post reading “Aupa Deportivo”.
Messi’s connection with India
Back in India, where his fan base is huge, he visited in December 2025 on his GOAT Tour.