Lionel Messi retires: Top five most memorable matches of the Argentina legend

Lionel Messi has brought the curtain down on his international career after 21 years with Argentina. From his debut in 2005 to his final appearance in 2026, Messi gave Argentina some of the biggest moments in their football history. He finished with 207 appearances and 125 goals for his country.

Argentina 3-3 France, 2022 World Cup final

The 2022 World Cup final against France stands above the rest. After losing the 2014 final to Germany, Messi finally lifted the World Cup in Qatar. He scored twice in a thrilling 3-3 draw before Argentina won the penalty shootout. Messi finished the tournament with seven goals and won the Golden Ball.

Argentina 3-0 Ecuador, 2021 Copa America quarter-final

Messi played a major role in Argentina’s win over Ecuador in the 2021 Copa America quarter-final. He provided assists for Rodrigo De Paul and Lautaro Martinez before scoring a free-kick in added time. Argentina won 3-0 and went on to beat Brazil in the final, giving Messi his first major senior international trophy.

Also Read: Lionel Messi retirement: Here are some of the top international records of the Argentinian ‘GOAT’

Argentina 2-1 England, 2026 World Cup semi-final

Messi was again at the centre of Argentina’s run to the 2026 World Cup final. Against England in the semi-final, Argentina fell behind to Anthony Gordon’s goal but fought back. Messi assisted Enzo Fernandez for the equaliser before setting up Lautaro Martinez for the winner.

Argentina 3-0 Algeria, 2026 World Cup group stage

Messi’s 2026 World Cup campaign began with a hat-trick against Algeria. He scored three times in Argentina’s 3-0 win and became the oldest player to score a hat-trick at the World Cup. The match also marked his sixth appearance at the tournament.

Argentina 2-0 Austria, 2026 World Cup group stage

Messi scored twice against Austria in the group stage and briefly became the leading scorer in World Cup history, moving past Germany’s Miroslav Klose. He eventually finished the tournament with 21 World Cup goals, before Kylian Mbappe moved ahead of him with 22.

Messi’s international career also had its difficult moments. Argentina lost three straight finals between 2014 and 2016, including the 2014 World Cup final and the 2015 and 2016 Copa America finals. He briefly retired from international football in 2016 before returning.

The comeback changed the story. Messi eventually won the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa America. After more than two decades with Argentina, he leaves as the country’s record appearance holder and leading scorer, with a collection of trophies and memories that will be difficult to match.