BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA—Ending a 21-year professional career as one of the most decorated players in history, Lionel Messi announced Monday that he is retiring from American football.

"After all this time since Super Bowl LX, and after thinking about it a lot, I want to tell everyone that I’m retiring from the National Football League," said the seven-time Super Bowl champion in a statement posted to his Instagram profile. "I swear I always gave everything, not only in these last few years, but before that too. I always fought and gave everything for this ring, to bring you happiness and make you feel proud to be Argentine through American football."

The announcement leaves the five-foot-seven quarterback with a mountain of awards and career highlights, including five Super Bowl MVPs, three NFL MVPs, five passing touchdown titles, and four passing yard titles. Messi also boasts a formidable collection of all-time NFL records, with 251 quarterback wins, 7,753 passing completions, 649 passing touchdowns, and 89,214 passing yards. The 39-year-old ends his career with a 97.2 passer rating.

"There isn’t much time left, and different chapters are coming to an end," continued the oldest NFL MVP's statement. "This is one that hurts me a lot. I love, I loved, and I will always love being part of the New England Patriots. I gave everything I had, and I don’t have anything more to give. I hang my cleats and jersey up with peace and pride, knowing that together with my teammates we gave you moments we once dreamed of. It was crazy to experience all of this with you. I love you!"

At press time, Kansas City Chiefs tight end and three-time Super Bowl champion Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi's longtime rival, shared a cryptic Instagram post regarding the retirement, simply reading: "the tortured quarterback department."