{
  "id": 4673796,
  "title": "Why did Messi retire from international football?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/why-did-messi-retire-from-international-football",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-31T15:24:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Economic Times",
    "slug": "the-economic-times",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/lionel-messi-retirement-reason-why-did-the-football-legend-decide-to-stop-playing-for-argentina/articleshow/133656919.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, marking the conclusion of his illustrious career with the Argentina national team. The Argentina captain revealed his decision in an emotional statement, admitting that it was a painful choice, but he believes the time was right to bid farewell to international football. In the statement, Messi expressed his gratitude for the moments he and his teammates shared, acknowledging that the time had come to leave the national team behind.\n\nReflecting on his commitment to Argentina, Messi stated that he had always given his best for the national team, not just during their recent winning streak but also in the years preceding it. He emphasized that he always fought and gave everything for the shirt, striving to bring joy and pride to the Argentine people through football. Messi's retirement reason was that he left international football with a sense of fulfillment, having achieved moments he and his teammates had once dreamed of. He expressed his love for Argentina and thanked God for making him Argentine before concluding with a call to action for his country, \"Vamos Argentina!\"",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 8,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "DW English (Top Stories)",
        "title": "Lionel Messi announces retirement from international football",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/lionel-messi-announces-retirement-from-international-football-4672713",
        "published": "2026-08-31T15:30:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Buenos Aires Times",
        "title": "Lionel Messi announces retirement from international football",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/lionel-messi-announces-retirement-from-international-football-4665665",
        "published": "2026-08-31T15:30:50.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Business Standard IN",
        "title": "End of an era: Messi announces retirement from international football",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/end-of-an-era-messi-announces-retirement-from-international-football",
        "published": "2026-08-31T15:42:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "IOL",
        "title": "Lionel Messi announces retirement from international football",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/lionel-messi-announces-retirement-from-international-football-4678979",
        "published": "2026-08-31T17:09:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Live Mint",
        "title": "Lionel Messi announces retirement; fans struggle to accept: ‘Poetic ending to his GOAT career’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/lionel-messi-announces-retirement-fans-struggle-to-accept-poetic",
        "published": "2026-08-31T17:18:18.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Financial Times",
        "title": "Lionel Messi announces retirement from international football",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/lionel-messi-announces-retirement-from-international-football-4681585",
        "published": "2026-08-31T17:19:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Buenos Aires Herald",
        "title": "The world reacts to Messi’s farewell to international football",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/the-world-reacts-to-messis-farewell-to-international-football",
        "published": "2026-08-31T18:58:50.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}