As the curtain begins to close on his illustrious career, the legendary Lionel Messi hints at ending his journey with Inter Miami. The Argentine icon moved to the MLS franchise last year after a celebrated tenure in European soccer with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
Messi, a hero in Barcelona, finds himself at a reflective point as he gears up to defend Argentina’s Copa America title this year. Speculations about his retirement are rife as the sporting world watches closely.
At 36, Messi revealed in an ESPN interview that Miami is poised to be his final stop in professional soccer, expressing a creeping dread about his pending retirement. “Spending my life playing soccer has been a joy,” the eight-time Ballon d’Or champion remarked on Wednesday.
“The daily practice, the matches, I cherish them all. Realizing it’s nearly over is daunting. Leaving Europe was tough, but winning the World Cup gave me a different perspective,” he admitted. Messi strives to relish each moment, knowing these days are numbered.
“Now, I savor every second, grateful for incredible teammates and friends in Miami. Equally, my time with the national team is precious, filled with camaraderie that will be missed,” Messi shared.
With 672 goals, Messi stands as Barcelona’s top scorer and has hoisted four Champions League trophies, but he regards the 2022 World Cup victory as his most treasured achievement, following the legacy of Diego Maradona.
“Maradona’s absence in our World Cup triumph last year was poignant,” Messi expressed. “We shared a beautiful, albeit challenging, World Cup journey. His joy and passion as a coach were unmistakable,” he reminisced.
“Despite media portrayals, our bond was strong. He supported and cherished me from the start. It’s heart-wrenching that he couldn’t celebrate our victory with us,” Messi concluded, reflecting on their deep, mutual respect.
