The 36-year-old superstar, currently plying his trade with Inter Miami, opened up about contemplating life beyond the pitch and acknowledged he’s approaching the twilight of his illustrious career. In a candid chat with ESPN Argentina ahead of the Copa America, Messi revealed that the MLS outfit will be the last club team of his career and admitted he doesn’t have much “time” left before he calls it a day.
Messi confessed that transitioning from a lifetime of football will be challenging. Moreover, adapting to American soccer after a career in Europe was another hurdle he had to overcome. With his career in European football at an end, it appears Liverpool has now seen the last of the superstar, who put them to the sword in the Champions League semi-final first leg in 2019 before the Reds broke his heart with a famous second leg comeback.
“I’ve done this all of my life; I love playing ball,” he shared. “I enjoy the practices, the day-to-day, the games. Yeah, there’s a bit of fear that it’s all ending. It’s always there. It was a difficult step leaving Europe to come here [Miami].”
Winning the 2022 World Cup offered Messi a fresh perspective on his career and his ability to compete. “The fact we won the World Cup helped, it helped a lot, to see things in another way,” the Argentinian legend reflected.
“But I try not to think about it. I try to enjoy it. I do that more now because I’m aware that there’s not a lot of time left. So I have a good time with the club, being lucky having good teammates and friends at my side. I enjoy my time with the national team, where I also have good friends, too, and a lot. I enjoy those small details that I know I’ll miss when I stop playing.”
If Messi dons the colours of Inter Miami as his final club, he would round off his career as one of the most efficient players in the history of football. He set a remarkable record during his time at Barcelona, netting 672 goals in 778 appearances across all competitions.
His brief tenure at Paris Saint-Germain saw him rack up 32 goals along with 35 assists, shooting the team to new heights. Now in Miami, the Messi effect is clear as the once struggling side is currently basking in glory atop the MLS Eastern Conference.
In the ongoing season, of the 11 games he started, Messi has recorded 12 glorious goals and provided 13 remarkable assists. His goals tally matches the third highest in the league, which his teammate Luis Suarez also boasts of.
Messi leads the assists chart with 13 successful setups, outpacing Luciano Acosta and Robin Lod by three, who are tied for second spot. Adding to his impressive resume, Messi holds the record for winning the Ballon d’Or a whopping eight times, a feat complemented by his World Cup win.
Excluding the current season, Messi has bagged 40 trophies for both his club and country, including four Champions League titles and a Copa America title. Off the field, Messi’s star power continues to shine, with MLS reporting that his jersey is the top-seller in 2024 to date.
