Lionel Messi announced this Monday his retirement from the Argentine national team. The 39-year-old idol communicated the decision through a letter published on social media, marking the end of an international career that lasted almost two decades.
In the letter, Messi stated that the decision "hurts deeply" and that he went through a long period of reflection since the final of some recent tournament. He highlighted that he understands it is the "right time" to leave the national team, despite the pain involved in the process.
The player guaranteed that he always gave everything he had for the Argentine national team, both in recent years, when they won important titles, and before that, when they faced several lost finals. He stated that he fought and gave himself for the Argentine jersey to bring joy to the fans.
Messi declared that he loves, loved, and will always love being in the national team, but recognizes that he has nothing more to offer. He also mentioned the existence of incredible young players emerging after him, indicating the arrival of a new generation to the Argentine team.
