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Lionel Messi has enjoyed a truly unbelievable international career with Argentina, finishing as unquestionably the greatest soccer player of all time.
On August 31, in the aftermath of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Messi decided to call time on his international career, signaling the first step toward the conclusion of his legendary career.
After 207 appearances and 125 goals for Argentina, Messi's time with the Albiceleste has come to a close. He won one World Cup title in 2022, as well as two Copa America crowns and the 2022 Finalissima.
Throughout it all, Messi scored some truly iconic goals in an Argentina shirt, and The Sporting News has compiled some of the best now that his international career is officially concluded.
MORE: Why Lionel Messi retired from international duty with Argentina
Lionel Messi 10 best goals for Argentina
10. 2012 — Opener vs. Chile (CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying)
We begin with a goal that embodies everything Messi does well — stays calm, sees everything around him, and reacts with split-second brilliance.
As Argentina worked towards the 2014 FIFA World Cup, they had bounced back from a difficult start to qualifying with a five-match competitive unbeaten run that included four victories. However, a friendly defeat in September to rivals Brazil (which Messi missed) had brought the mood down somewhat.
They returned to winning ways over Uruguay by a 3-0 score, with Messi scoring twice, before playing on the road at Chile. In the 28th minute, Messi opened the scoring with a truly sensational goal, settling the feed from Fernando Gago with a delicious first touch all alone in front of goal. The moment to settle allowed the defense to recover, but Messi didn't panic, seeing them arrive with eyes in the back of his head. He coolly put his foot on top of the ball and shifted to his left to send one defender flying by before rapidly firing off a shot before the second defender could arrive, pocketing the ball inside the far post.
9. 2010 — Winner vs. Brazil (International friendly)
Games against Brazil were never friendly, even if the match had no competitive stakes. Messi's first four appearances against Brazil all ended without victory, including 3-0 defeats in his first two matches against Argentina's greatest rival.
So, in 2012, Argentina met the Selecao in a friendly from Qatar, and Messi had his moment. Then just 23 years old, Messi broke a scoreless deadlock in the 92nd minute by weaving his way through the Brazil defense, cutting a shot with his left across the face of goal, tucking it inside the right post where the goalkeeper wasn't expecting.
8. 2022 — Opener vs. Mexico (2022 FIFA World Cup)
After defeat to Saudi Arabia in Argentina's 2022 World Cup opener, it seemed Argentina were on track for yet another FIFA disappointment with Messi at the helm. It was then that the Albiceleste legend decided he was going to rewrite the history books.
Messi sent Argentina through to victory against Mexico with the opening goal of their second group stage match with one of his most iconic international goals, firing a long-range effort from a good 25 yards out, slotting it low inside the bottom-right corner for a 64th-minute lead.
It's not exactly the most eye-popping strike of his career, but given the position his team was in, the moment it happened, and the distance of the shot, it ranks up there as one of the best goals of his career.
7. 2007 — Chip vs. Mexico (Copa America semifinals)
Messi's first truly iconic moment in an Argentina shirt came at the 2007 Copa America, where the Albiceleste met Mexico in the semifinals from Venezuela.
In the quarterfinals, Messi had grabbed his first goal of the tournament in a 4-0 win over Peru, but he would top that with ease in the final four. With Argentina leading 1-0 just after halftime, Messi picked up the ball just inside the top-right corner of the penalty area and decided to try something truly outrageous.
He would chip the goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez from right around 16 yards out, lifting the ball over his defender and into the air, beating the keeper and dipping just inside the far post.
6. 2012 — Free-kick vs. Paraguay (CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying)
Just months after his stunner against Brazil, Messi cropped up with yet another brilliant strike, one that began to mark his reputation as a set-piece wizard.
In a September World Cup qualifier against Paraguay, Messi took aim from a truly absurd distance outside the penalty area and deposited the ball into the back of the net past a helpless Justo Villar to seal the Argentina victory by a 3-1 score. The ball curled brilliantly over the wall, running away from the goalkeeper, who gave it a full dive but still came up agonizingly short.
MORE: Read Messi's goodbye letter to international soccer and Argentina fans
5. 2016 — Free-kick vs. Colombia (CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying)
Another beautiful free-kick clocks in high up the rankings, as Messi's brilliance from dead-ball situations continues to shine bright.
In a 2016 World Cup qualifying victory over Colombia, Messi had already assisted his team's first two goals, so he decided to wrap up the 3-0 victory on his own from a set piece. Taking aim from a good 26 yards out, he struck a left-footed blast that looped up over the leaping Colombian wall and then dipped down just enough to clip the underside of the crossbar in the corner and ping down into the back of the net.
He could not have run up and placed the ball in the corner any better. It was a stunning strike, one of the best in history.
4. 2016 — Free-kick vs. USA (Copa America semifinals)
To cap off Messi's stunning trio of free-kick goals on this list is not just a beautiful goal, but a critical one at the 2016 Copa America in the United States. With Argentina leading the hosts 1-0 early in the semifinals of the competition in Houston, Messi stood over a free kick that was at least 26 yards out, if not farther.
Just like the aforementioned goal against Colombia that would come a few months later, he buried this one perfectly in the top-right corner, a shot that could not have been placed better with the hands. What made this one so spectacular was not just the moment, in a Copa America semifinal, but also the fact that the U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan was literally standing at that far post, clearly expecting Messi to shoot for that position. And yet even still, Guzan could not get to the effort, taking his first step to the middle before realizing where the ball was headed, leaping up towards the corner and failing to reach it.
As a cherry on top, the goal solidified Messi as Argentina's all-time leading goal scorer, as Argentina would go on to win the match in convincing 4-0 fashion. Unfortunately, they would fall in the final in heartbreaking fashion, losing to Chile on penalties in a game that would see Messi briefly retire from international duty.
3. 2012 — Winner vs. Brazil (International friendly)
While his 2010 strike against Brazil was an iconic moment, he unquestionably bested that moment two years later against the same opponent with one of the most memorable matches of his entire international career.
Argentina met their South American rivals for a friendly at MetLife Stadium outside New York City, and Messi shone like never before. He would bag a hat trick in a thrilling 4-3 victory, including the winning goal in the 85th minute.
It was that winner that stood above all others in the game, and most goals in his international career, as a true moment of magic. Having scored twice on the counter-attack in this game, he decided not to bother bypassing the Brazil defense or goalkeeper this time around, rifling a stunner from 27 yards out, firing a howitzer into the top-left corner to win the game in thrilling fashion.
2. 2014 — Winner vs. Iran (FIFA World Cup group stage)
Messi would deliver an iconic moment at the 2014 FIFA World Cup as he delivered Argentina to victory in a difficult group game against Iran.
After scoring in a 2-1 opening round victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Messi picked up the ball in the 92nd minute of a scoreless game against Iran and struck a left-footed howitzer that split two defenders, beat the goalkeeper, and buried inside the far post, striking the inside of the side netting to secure three points.
Messi would then score twice in a 3-2 victory over Nigeria in a gripping three-game performance, but he would go quiet in the knockout stage as Argentina would fall in extra-time of the final to Germany.
1. 2007 — Solo goal vs. Colombia (CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying)
One of Messi's all-time greatest goals of his entire career came early in his international experience, showing the world exactly what he would be — and already was — capable of.
Just his eighth career international strike, in the 37th minute of a World Cup qualifier against Colombia, would stand tallest as his best-ever Argentina goal. In fact, it happened so quickly, that the television broadcast missed the beginning of it, as Argentina took a quick free-kick from the left touchline.
They gave it straight to Messi, and he stuck in behind the right-back. The center-back came out to defend, and he bypassed that tackle effortlessly, clipping the ball onto his right foot before touching back onto his left to get vertical. From there, he dances in between the final two defenders and sneaks a shot past the final man, threading the needle between the defender and goalkeeper.
A sensational — and underrated — goal from Messi, probably the best he's ever had.
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