Lionel Messi has suggested that he will retire from club football once he leaves Inter Miami.
The 36-year-old is under contract with the Major League Soccer club until the end of the 2025 season, although it has been widely reported that he may extend his stay in Miami for a further 12 months.
Messi has previously spoken about his desire to one day return to Argentina to play for Newell’s Old Boys in his hometown of Rosario.
He played youth football for Newell’s but never represented the club at first-team level because he moved to Europe to join Barcelona at the age of 13.
However, a Newell’s homecoming is looking less and less likely after Messi said in an interview with ESPN this week: “Right now I think Inter Miami is going to be my last club, yes.
“I’m having a good time at the club with the good fortune to have teammates and my friends next to me.”
“INTER MIAMI VA A SER MI ÚLTIMO CLUB”, la frase de Leo Messi con #ESPN que dará la vuelta al mundo.
📺 HOY no te pierdas el mano a mano con Messi por #ESPNenStarPlus (18:30 ARG) pic.twitter.com/QXtKGqQGyK
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) June 12, 2024
Messi is currently with the Argentina squad preparing for this summer’s Copa America tournament in the USA.
He added: “I have a good time with the national team, where I have teammates and friends as well, a lot of them, and I enjoy the small details that I know that I’ll miss when I’m not playing anymore.”
Although Messi is well aware that he is in the twilight years of his remarkable career, he told ESPN that he is trying not to think about retirement as it makes him feel “a bit scared”.
He explained: “I don’t think I am [prepared to leave football] either. All my life I’ve done this, I love playing ball and I enjoy training and the day-to-day of matches.
“I am a bit scared of it all ending, that’s always there.”
Argentina will begin the defence of their Copa America title on June 20 with a group game against Canada in Atlanta.
Messi and Co will also face Chile and Peru during the group stage.
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