Lionel Messi declared Inter Miami to be his “final club” and acknowledged that “time is running out” in his illustrious career.
Messi, now 36, joined Inter Miami last summer, concluding his two-decade tenure in Europe where he graced the fields for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or laureate has netted 14 goals across various competitions for an Inter Miami squad that currently leads the Eastern Conference this season.
Reunited with his former Barcelona comrades Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba at Miami, Messi confided to ESPN Argentina in an exclusive interview that he believes “this will be my final club.”
As Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer with 672 goals, Messi tallied 32 goals and 35 assists during his two seasons at PSG. His storied career, adorned with 40 trophies for club and country—including four Champions League titles and a Copa América crown—found its pinnacle with the World Cup victory for Argentina in 2022.
In an interview set to air Wednesday, Messi shared with ESPN how the triumph in Qatar reshaped his outlook on his career.
“I’ve dedicated my entire life to this; I cherish playing football. The practices, the daily grind, the matches—they all bring me joy. There’s an underlying fear of it all ending. Leaving Europe for Miami was a tough decision,” he revealed.
“The World Cup victory significantly shifted my perspective. It made everything clearer. But I strive to live in the moment, to savor it. Now, more than ever, I realize the time left is fleeting. So I relish my time with the club, blessed with wonderful teammates and friends.
“I treasure my moments with the national team too, surrounded by good friends. I cherish those minute details, aware that I’ll miss them once I retire.”
Despite injuries sidelining Messi from Argentina’s matches against El Salvador and Costa Rica in March, he remains crucial to their prospects of retaining the Copa América this summer. He marked his return with a victory over Ecuador on Sunday.
Messi also addressed comments by Real Madrid and France star Kylian Mbappé regarding the competitiveness of the European Championship versus the World Cup.
“Everyone has their priorities,” Messi noted. “The Euro is undoubtedly significant with top-tier teams, but he’s overlooking three-time champion Argentina, five-time champion Brazil, two-time champion Uruguay. Numerous world champions are excluded in such comparisons.
“The World Cup hosts the best teams, typically encompassing all the world champions. That’s why the aspiration to become world champions is universal.”
When asked what he would say to the late Diego Maradona, Messi expressed his efforts to “remember the joyous times.”
“Naturally, it saddens me that he couldn’t witness our World Cup triumph in 2022, knowing his passion for the national team and what he would have said about Argentina being world champions again,” Messi reminisced.
“We shared a World Cup experience which, despite the outcome, was an incredible journey, experiencing the day-to-day with him, witnessing his happiness, seeing him relish his role as manager,” he recalled.
“So, I focus on the fond memories we created. I know he cared deeply for me, and I for him, regardless of media portrayals.
“In truth, we shared a deep affection for each other, and from the moment we met, he was always supportive and wished the best for me. It’s a pity he couldn’t be there to celebrate it like the rest of the nation did.”
