Lionel Messi has revealed his plans to retire as he prepares to lead Argentina in the Copa America.
Messi played his first international game in six months last week, helping Argentina win 1-0 against Ecuador in preparation for Friday's Copa America opener against Canada.
The 36-year-old, who captained Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, will move to Inter Miami in the summer of 2023 and now considers the MLS team his final club.
“My last club”
It was previously thought that Messi would return to his home country to finish his career, possibly playing for Newell's Old Boys, the club where he began training as a child in his hometown of Rosario.
“I think Inter Miami will be my last club. I think today it will be my last club,” the Argentina captain said in an interview with ESPN.
“It was hard leaving Europe to come here,” he said. “Being world champion helped me a lot and made me see things in a different way, but I try not to think about it, I try to enjoy it, so I can enjoy everything more, because I know there's less and less time left and I can have fun.”
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“The little details are fun.”
“I'm having a great time at the club and I'm lucky to have my teammates and friends (Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, all former Barcelona players) by my side,” he said. “I'm also having a great time with the national team and I have teammates and friends there too.”
“I'm enjoying the little things that I know I'm going to miss when I'm no longer playing,” he added. “I've been doing this my whole life, I love playing ball, I enjoy the training, the day-to-day life, the match days. And, yes, there's always that fear that it's all going to be over.”
Messi's current contract with Inter Miami expires in December 2025.
