Messi's Argentina career in numbers

Argentina legend Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football for a second time in a social media post on Monday.

Messi, 39, had previously called time on his Argentina career in June 2016 after the Albiceleste suffered their third straight defeat in a final. But he reversed that decision just two months later and went on to win almost every major trophy on offer, including the FIFA World Cup in 2022.

Here are the staggering numbers defining his international career:

Argentina (Aug 2005 – Jul 2026)

Matches: 207

Goals: 125

Assists: 68

Hattricks: 11

Penalties: 25

Free-kick goals: 12

Goal scored outside the box :15

Goals scored inside the box: 73

Goals scored with left foot left foot: 111

Goals scored with right foot: 12

Goals scored from headers: 2

Player of the Match awards: 55

Trophies

Argentina: U-20 World Cup (1), Olympic Games Gold Medal (1), Finalissima (1), Copa America (2), FIFA World Cup (1) 

Individual honours

Ballon d'Or(8), FIFA World Player of The Year (8), World Cup Golden Ball (2), MVP Copa America (2)

Records

# Second on the all-time international goalscorers' list (125), behind Cristiano Ronaldo (146).

# Most games played with Argentina (207)

# Argentina's all-time leading goalscorer (125)

# Second-highest goalscorer in World Cup history (21)

# Most assists in World Cups (12)

# All-time highest appearances in the World Cup (34)

# Joint-most tournament appearances in World Cup history (6)

# Most Player of the Match awards in World Cup history (16)