{
  "id": 4694423,
  "title": "Six defining moments of Lionel Messi's Argentina career",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/six-defining-moments-of-lionel-messis-argentina-career",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-31T18:26:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Buenos Aires Times",
    "slug": "buenos-aires-times",
    "url": "https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/sports/six-defining-moments-of-lionel-messis-argentina-career.phtml"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Lionel Messi bid farewell to international football after leading Argentina to victory in the 2024 Copa América and the World Cup in the USA. His international career spanned over 200 appearances and two decades. Messi made his debut for Argentina in 2005, marking his first international cap with an unfortunate red card only 90 seconds into the match against Hungary. He went on to play in four World Cup finals, scoring crucial goals in each tournament. After Argentina's final defeat in the World Cup in Qatar, Messi declared his retirement from international football. However, he was persuaded to return to the national team by Lionel Scaloni, Argentina's new coach in 2018. Under Scaloni's leadership, Messi helped Argentina win the Copa América in 2021. In 2022, Messi led Argentina to victory in the World Cup, becoming the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with seven goals. Messi then went on to win his third Copa América title in 2024, setting a record for the most World Cup titles won by any player.",
  "summary": "A look back at some of the moments that defined Messi's career with his country. Leer más",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Expansion ES",
        "title": "Lionel Messi se retira de Argentina: \"Me vacié, ya no tengo más para dar\"",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/lionel-messi-se-retira-de-argentina-me-vacie-ya-no-tengo-mas-para-dar",
        "published": "2026-08-31T15:28:08.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The National Business",
        "title": "Lionel Messi announces retirement from Argentina national team: 'This is the right moment'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/lionel-messi-announces-retirement-from-argentina-national-team-this",
        "published": "2026-08-31T15:35:48.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBS News",
        "title": "Lionel Messi says he's retiring from Argentina's national soccer team after nearly 2 decades",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/lionel-messi-says-hes-retiring-from-argentinas-national-soccer-team",
        "published": "2026-08-31T16:12:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "IOL",
        "title": "Messi says goodbye to Argentina after glittering 21-year international career",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/messi-says-goodbye-to-argentina-after-glittering-21-year",
        "published": "2026-08-31T17:17:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "SABC News",
        "title": "Lionel Messi retires from Argentina national team",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/lionel-messi-retires-from-argentina-national-team",
        "published": "2026-08-31T17:46:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Buenos Aires Times",
        "title": "Lionel Messi: Architect of Argentina’s greatest joys",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/lionel-messi-architect-of-argentinas-greatest-joys",
        "published": "2026-08-31T19:33:53.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}