Lionel Messi has retired from international football at age 39, ending a 21‑year Argentina career that delivered every major trophy available and cemented him as the country’s most‑capped player and all‑time leading goalscorer. His decision, confirmed in a statement written shortly after Argentina’s World Cup final defeat to Spain and published following the death of his father Jorge, closes one of the most decorated international careers in football history.   Messi: The final chapter Messi’s last act in an Argentina shirt came in July, when he led his country to a second straight World Cup final. Argentina were beaten 1-0 by…