“I want to continue enjoying playing, I have the luck to do a job that I love”
Don’t ask Lionel Messi about retirement.
The Inter Miami star, speaking to the “Soñé que Volaba” show on the Olga YouTube channel, said that he is focusing on the present moment and enjoying his life rather than any thoughts of a career off the field.
“I didn’t think (about retirement),” said Messi on his summer decision to leave Paris Saint-Germain for south Florida. “I don’t want to think about it either, because I want to continue enjoying what I do. I took an important step by leaving Europe and coming here, and I don’t want to continue thinking about the next step.
“I want to continue enjoying playing. I have the luck to do a job that I love and, although I have responsibilities and objectives, it is still something that I enjoy.”
Whenever Messi decides to hang his boots up, he says he doesn’t plan on going too far away from the pitch.
“What I am going to do? I don’t know. I like everything related to football,” said Messi. “I like being with kids, teaching, [but could be a] sporting director also.”
Messi has unsurprisingly taken MLS by storm, producing 11 goals and five assists in just 12 appearances since joining Miami this summer. The Herons have already lifted a trophy, with Messi starring as the club claimed the 2023 Leagues Cup, and are somehow still in the mix for an MLS playoff spot despite being eight points adrift before the Argentine icon arrived.
That said, a heavy schedule may put those hopes on ice. Messi was given a game off last weekend, yet had to leave Wednesday’s home win over Toronto FC with what manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino maintained was just “muscular fatigue.”
Messi at the 2026 World Cup? ‘We will see’
Messi had previously said that a triumphant 2022 World Cup would be his last. A few months later, though, and now the legend isn’t so sure.
“I do think about the Copa América,” said Messi, who said that he’s looking forward to the 2024 tournament, which will be held in the United States. “It will be nice because the Centenario match that we played here was very nice. Although we lost the final, we enjoyed the process a lot.
“After the Copa América we will see, it depends on how I feel… We have to see how I feel. I will see how I feel day-by-day, there are three years left [on his Miami contract].”
Messi added that he hasn’t spent much time pondering whether he’s a lesser player than he was while starring with Barcelona, but admitted that Father Time remains undefeated.
“I don’t think about if I’m lowering my level, I…play as always,” said Messi. “But there is a reality: I’m older, a thousand games behind me, and time passes for everyone.”
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