Argentine superstar Lionel Messi says he intends to finish his footballing career at Inter Miami.
Messi, who signed a contract with the MLS team that runs until the conclusion of the 2025 season, spoke with ESPN in an interview that aired on Wednesday.
“Yes, as of today, I think it’s going to be my last club,” Messi told ESPN.
But Messi, who turns 37 on June 24, also added, “I’m not ready to leave football either.”
With Barcelona, the record eight-time Ballon d’Or winner rose to legendary status as he helped the team win 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League championships.
Messi, who led Argentina to triumphs in the 2021 Copa America and 2022 World Cup, will represent his country in this month’s Copa America, which will take place in the US.
Messi played for Barcelona from 2004 to 2021, Paris Saint-Germain from 2021 to 2023, and Inter Miami last year. During his early years with the team, Messi helped the team win the Leagues Cup.
“It was a difficult step to leave Europe to come here,” Messi said.
“The fact of having been world champion helped a lot to see things differently also.”
Messi’s meteoric rise to fame increased MLS’s visibility in the US, with his shirt being the most sought-after by fans of the league and his games consistently selling out anywhere he plays.
Now that the USA, along with Mexico and Canada, will be co-hosting the 2026 World Cup, Messi is thinking about representing his country and the end of his amazing career.
“My whole life I did this. I love playing ball. I enjoy the training, the day every day, of the matches. A little afraid that everything will end,” Messi said.
“I try to enjoy. That’s why I enjoy everything much more, because I’m aware that there’s less and less to go and I have a good time at the club.
“How lucky I am to have colleagues and friends by my side. I had a good time in the selection, where I have teammates and friends too, and many of them, and I enjoy the little details that I know I’m going to miss when I don’t play anymore.”
Photo by EPA/TRENT SPRAGUE
