Football legend Lionel Messi’s retirement announcement triggered emotional tributes from footballers, fans and celebrities around the world. The Argentina legend confirmed on August 31, 2026, that he is stepping away from international football after more than two decades with the national team.Indian celebrities have also joined the tributes. Kareena Kapoor Khan reacted to Messi’s retirement post on Instagram. Malayalam actor Indrajith Sukumaran, who was recently seen in the Bollywood film ‘Bandar’, also shared Messi’s emotional farewell video.
Kareena Kapoor Khan reacts to Messi’s retirement
Kareena Kapoor Khan was among the Indian celebrities who responded to Lionel Messi’s retirement announcement. The actor left several red heart emojis in the comments section of Messi’s post.The two had previously met in India. Kareena Kapoor Khan met Lionel Messi during his three-day promotional visit to the country in December 2025.She also posed for photographs with Messi alongside her sons, Taimur Ali Khan and Jeh Ali Khan.
Indrajith Sukumaran shares Messi’s farewell video
Indrajith Sukumaran also paid tribute to the Argentine footballer. The Malayalam actor shared the emotional video in which Messi announced his decision. He accompanied the post with a short message: “Thank you (red heart emoji).”Messi’s international career began as a teenager in 2005. Over the following 21 years, he became one of the most decorated players in Argentina’s history.He leaves the national team with 207 appearances and 125 goals. His international career also includes Argentina’s long-awaited FIFA World Cup triumph.
Lionel Messi explains his decision
Messi described the decision as painful. At the same time, he said he believes this is the appropriate moment to step aside.“After all this time since the final, and after thinking about it a lot, I want to tell everyone that I’m retiring from the national team. It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep inside, but I understand that this is the right moment… I swear I always gave everything, not only in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too. I always fought and gave everything for this shirt, to bring you happiness and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football,” Messi said in an Instagram post.The Argentina captain also spoke about the next generation. He expressed gratitude towards his family, teammates and supporters.“There is not much time left, and different chapters are coming to an end. This is one that hurts me a lot. I love, I loved, and I will always love being part of the national team. I gave everything I had, and I don’t have anything more to give. Also, there are great young players coming through who deserve to be here…Thank you to my family for always being there and for being with me throughout this beautiful but difficult journey… I leave with peace and pride, knowing that together with my teammates we gave you moments we once dreamed of… Thank you, God, for making me Argentine. Vamos Argentina! I wrote these words on July 21, two days after the final.Today, after what happened with my dad, I am even more convinced of this decision than before,” he added.
Rodrigo de Paul recalls Messi’s journey
Rodrigo de Paul, who developed a close friendship with Lionel Messi during their years together with Argentina, shared an emotional message for the captain.“There’s something I always wanted throughout all these years: for every Argentine to truly know who you are. What you’re like when there are no cameras, no stadiums, when you’re simply yourself. You never liked that too much.You always felt that your boots were the best way to speak and that the football pitch was where you had to show everything you felt for your country. And I was lucky enough to see everything that happened behind the scenes,” Rodrigo de Paul wrote.
Angel Di Maria thanks his former teammate
Angel Di Maria also posted an emotional farewell for Lionel Messi. The two represented Argentina together for nearly two decades and shared several major international campaigns.“How difficult it is to read that you are retiring. How difficult it is to read that we won’t see you anymore in the sky blue and white. All I know is that I was born in the right century to be able to watch you, enjoy you and, on top of that, share all these years with you in the national team.To watch you fulfil all your dreams, especially the one you wanted most: becoming world champion. Today, you decided to take that step that surely neither you nor any Argentine wanted to see come. But it has arrived, and today, as we have throughout your entire journey, we can only say: thank you, thank you so much, for everything. You are eternal and the greatest of all time in HISTORY,” Angel Di Maria wrote.Leandro Paredes, another long-time Argentina teammate, also shared an emotional message for Messi following the announcement.Messi made his senior international debut in 2005 and went on to become Argentina’s record appearance-maker and highest scorer. Messi’s retirement marks the end of an era for Argentina.
