Buenos Aires, Sep 1: Lionel Messi has brought the curtain down on a remarkable 21-year international career, leaving behind a legacy of records, trophies and statistical milestones that place him among the greatest players in football history.
Messi, who made his Argentina debut in August 2005, retires from international football after 207 appearances and 125 goals for the national side. He was directly involved in 185 goals, contributing 60 assists in addition to his 125 strikes.
The Argentine superstar guided his country to three major international titles — the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2024 Copa América. He also won the 2022 Finalissima with Argentina.
Messi’s goalscoring record reflects his trademark left-footed brilliance. Of his 125 international goals, 111 came with his left foot, while 12 were scored with his right, two with his head and one with his torso.
His World Cup record is equally extraordinary. Messi has made 34 World Cup appearances across six tournaments, both records that underline his remarkable longevity at the highest level. He also holds the records for most World Cup victories with 23, most assists with 12 and most goals from outside the penalty area with six.
Messi is the only player to have started three World Cup finals, in 2014, 2022 and 2026. At 39 years and 25 days, he also became the oldest outfield player to feature in a World Cup final.
He finished his World Cup career with 21 goals, one behind France’s Kylian Mbappé, who has 22. Messi also holds the record for most goals in men’s major international tournaments, with 35 across the World Cup, Copa América and other major competitions.
His international journey began in dramatic fashion. Messi made his Argentina debut against Hungary on August 17, 2005, but was sent off within a minute of coming on after being adjudged to have elbowed Vilmos Vanczák.
Over the years, he went on to score 11 international hat-tricks, with his final treble coming in Argentina’s opening match of the 2026 World Cup.
Messi’s numbers also fuel the enduring comparison with Cristiano Ronaldo. His 125 goals and 207 appearances are the second-highest totals in men’s international football, behind only Portugal’s Ronaldo, who has 146 goals in 233 appearances.
While Ronaldo has won the 2016 European Championship with Portugal, Messi’s three major international titles give him the edge in that particular category. Ronaldo has also won the UEFA Nations League, while Messi lifted the 2022 Finalissima.
The contrast is particularly striking in World Cup knockout football. Messi has scored seven goals and provided 10 assists in 17 knockout matches, compared with Ronaldo’s one goal and no assists in nine such appearances.
Ronaldo, however, maintains a slightly better international goals-per-game ratio, at 62.66 per cent compared with Messi’s 60.39 per cent. Messi has scored 25 international penalties, two more than Ronaldo, while his 12 free-kicks for Argentina are one more than Ronaldo has scored for Portugal.
Against highly ranked opponents, Ronaldo has a narrow advantage against top-10 teams, scoring 18 goals to Messi’s 17. Messi leads against top-20 teams, 32-30, and top-30 teams, 49-46.
Messi’s international career may not have ended with the perfect result, following Argentina’s 1-0 World Cup final defeat to Spain on July 19, but his three major titles and an extraordinary collection of records ensure that his Argentina legacy will endure for generations.
Messi’s Argentina legacy: 207 appearances | 125 goals | 60 assists | 3 major titles | 6 World Cups | 34 World Cup appearances | 23 World Cup wins | 12 World Cup assists | 35 major-tournament goals.
