Messi Almost Retired in 2016: How Six Weeks Changed Argentine Football
Key Points
- Messi announced his retirement from international football on June 26, 2016, after Argentina lost the Copa America final to Chile on penalties.
- He reversed his decision on August 12, 2016, choosing to continue playing for Argentina due to his love of the country.
- Since that U-turn, Messi played 94 additional matches, scored 70 more goals, and won four major trophies including the 2022 World Cup.
The Decade of Redemption
Since that August 2016 U-turn, Messi played 94 additional international matches and scored 70 more goals for Argentina. He captained the nation to World Cup victory at Qatar 2022, the trophy that had eluded him since 2014. He also won Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024, ultimately lifting four major trophies during his extended international career.
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Messi retired from international football on Monday as Argentina's all-time leading scorer and most-capped player. At the 2026 World Cup, he scored 8 goals and registered 4 assists, continuing his excellence through the final matches of his international tenure. His closing statement reflected his exhaustion: "I've given it my all, I have nothing left to give."
The contrast between his 2016 despair and his subsequent achievements cannot be overstated. Had Messi followed through on his retirement threat, Argentina would have been deprived of the architect of their greatest recent triumph. The period between June and August 2016 represents a pivot point—not merely for Messi's legacy, but for an entire nation's football identity. Notably, Diego Maradona, Argentina's other legendary number 10, had criticized Messi's character as a leader years before this turnaround, yet Messi ultimately proved critics wrong by delivering the World Cup that defined his legacy.
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Sources: BBC Sport and other international news outlets.
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