Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami team-mate Rodrigo De Paul has described the forward as “immortal” following his international retirement.
Messi announced the end of his storied Argentina career on Monday, after three World Cup final appearances, including one victory in 2022, 207 caps and 125 goals.
In a statement posted to his Instagram account, Messi said he had nothing left to give following Argentina’s loss to Spain in the 2026 showpiece match.
Messi previously retired from Argentina duty in 2016, after losing in back-to-back Copa America final appearances, but he reversed that decision and subsequently led his country to two continental triumphs, in addition to his crowning moment at Qatar 2022.
He has the most goal involvements of any player in World Cup history (33 – 21 goals and 12 assists) and is second in the tournament’s all-time goalscoring charts, after his former Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Kylian Mbappe (22).
Messi also holds the record for the most goal involvements in Copa America history, scoring 14 times and providing 18 assists in 39 games.
De Paul, a club-mate of Messi’s since making his own move to MLS in 2025, was one of his closest friends in the Argentina set-up, and he responded to the news with a heartfelt tribute.
“Your unconditional love for our country, the battles you fought within yourself so you would never give up, the strength you showed through every injustice, your leadership, and above all, the humanity you showed to every player who walked into the national team and immediately made them feel at home,” De Paul wrote in an Instagram story.
“Your care, your gestures, and the little details you had with every single person in this team… there are no words. Thank you, Leo. You are the greatest in history.
“Thank you for making us so, so happy. You can’t imagine how many smiles you put on our faces. You are immortal. Forever.”
De Paul is yet to confirm his own international retirement, though the 32-year-old’s Argentina future is uncertain. He has tallied 94 senior caps overall, scoring two goals for his country.
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