Beckham and Mourinho lead tributes as Messi retires from Argentina duty

World football is saying goodbye to Lionel Messi as an Argentina international. At 39, the captain has brought his national team career to a close after 207 games and 125 goals, with David Beckham and Jose Mourinho among the first major voices to honor him. The farewell ends the most decorated international run in Argentine football history and one of the finest the game has ever seen.

• Lionel Messi retires from Argentina duty with 125 goals in 207 appearances.
• David Beckham, co-owner of Inter Miami, says his legacy will live forever.
• Jose Mourinho believes the next Copa America and World Cup will not be the same without him.
• Teammates like Di Maria, Romero and Enzo Fernandez recall what they shared with the captain.
• FIFA president Gianni Infantino says Messi redefined the game and united fans worldwide.

David Beckham's Inter Miami tribute to Messi's legend

David Beckham, the former England captain and co-owner of Inter Miami, the club Messi has played for since 2023, was one of the first to react. The Englishman said the Argentine inspired millions of children around the world and stressed that his footballing legacy will last forever.

This is the moment we get to look back on and realize how grateful we were to witness the greatness of a young kid with a dream. Leo, you delivered the greatest gift to your country and, for that, your legacy will live forever.

Beckham closed his message by congratulating Messi on everything he achieved with Argentina, a run that included the 2022 World Cup title in Qatar and back-to-back Copa America crowns in 2021 and 2024.

Mourinho's reaction: the rival who faced Messi at his absolute peak

Jose Mourinho, who managed Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, also left a comment on the post in which Messi announced his retirement. The Portuguese coach matched up against the Argentine during his most dominant Barcelona years, when he won the Ballon d'Or three times in a row from 2010 to 2012.

The next Copa America and the next World Cup won't be the same.

Mourinho coached in countless Clasicos against that Barcelona side and knows first hand the impact Messi had on the pitch. His message captures the shared feeling of an international game losing its greatest reference point.

Di Maria, Romero and Enzo Fernandez: teammates who made history with Messi

Those who shared a dressing room with Messi in the national team reserved especially emotional words. Angel Di Maria, who scored in the 2022 World Cup final and also played alongside him at Paris Saint-Germain, described him as the greatest of all time.

Di Maria added that he was fortunate to have been born in the right century to watch him play, enjoy his performances and share all those years with him in the national team. Cristian Romero, a World Cup winner at his side, remembered dreaming as a kid of meeting him one day and never imagining he would live alongside him through the golden era of the national side.

Enzo Fernandez: from dreaming of one game with Messi to world champion at his side

Enzo Fernandez, the Chelsea midfielder, explained that as a child he dreamed of playing with Messi at least once. Life, he said, ended up being far more beautiful than that boy could have imagined: he did not just play with him, but shared training camps, the dressing room, conversations, hugs and the tough and wonderful moments until they became world champions together.

World football bids farewell to Messi: from Infantino to Franco Colapinto

Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, thanked Messi for an extraordinary international career that inspired millions and redefined the game. The Swiss official highlighted the unforgettable memories he left in Argentina colors and his ability to unite fans from every corner of the globe.

Messages also came from outside football, including one from Argentine Formula 1 driver Franco Colapinto, who said no words would ever be enough to express the gratitude of an entire country. Colapinto thanked him for getting back up time and time again and for giving everything to make a whole nation happy.

What Messi leaves behind with Argentina: 207 caps, 125 goals and the Qatar summit

Messi's international career ends as the most prolific in World Cup history, a competition in which he is the all-time leading scorer. With Argentina he played 207 matches and scored 125 goals, numbers that make him the national team's greatest ever marksman.

His trophy haul with Argentina includes the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he scored in the final, the Copa America titles of 2021 and 2024 and the runner-up finish at the 2026 World Cup. The captain led his national team to the top of the world after a decade of personal dominance crowned by the title that had eluded him.

Frequently asked questions about Messi's retirement from Argentina duty