After a remarkable 19-season career in European football, Lionel Messi made a significant move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS) in July, marking the beginning of what he referred to as a period of “decompression.”
Having already accumulated every club accolade during his illustrious stint with Barcelona, Messi solidified his status as the greatest player of the modern era, if not of all time, by leading Argentina to their first World Cup triumph since Diego Maradona’s victory in 1986.
Messi made a flawless start to his life in Miami, scoring in his initial seven appearances for the club, which is co-owned by David Beckham, and played a crucial role in their victory in the Leagues Cup in August.
However, the demanding schedule began to take its toll on the 36-year-old. Messi had to sit out consecutive matches for both Argentina and Miami in September due to fatigue, and he suffered an injury during a match against Toronto FC, casting doubt on his availability for the upcoming US Open Cup final.
With more than 1,000 games and 800 goals under his belt, Messi took a moment to reflect on his career and his aspirations for the future during an interview with Migue Granados on OLGA.
“Yes, it is a job,” Messi remarked regarding his career in professional football. “I am lucky to do a job that I love. Although I have responsibilities and a goal, it is still something that I enjoy doing. What am I going to do next? I don’t know. I would like to be a sporting director, be with the kids, teach.”
In October 2022, Messi had already expressed his desire to become a sporting director, emphasizing, “I don’t really intend to be a coach.” However, he did acknowledge, “But [Zinedine] Zidane said exactly that and after that, he became a coach and won the Champions League three times.”
At that time, Messi was “certain” that the 2022 World Cup would be his last international tournament. Nevertheless, winning the global championship has made him less definitive about his participation in the 2026 World Cup, set to be hosted across the US, Canada, and Mexico. It has also convinced him to defend Argentina’s Copa America title next summer.
When asked about his involvement in the tournament four years from now, Messi replied, “I haven’t thought about it yet, it’s far away. I do think about the Copa America, I want to do well. It’s just being played here in the United States. It’s going to be nice, we’ve already had the [Copa America] Centenario that was also played here [in 2016]. Although we lost the final, the process was very nice. Later, you’ll see how I feel. ”
However, before any international tournaments or potential scouting roles, Messi is committed to his contract with Inter Miami until the end of 2025.
Last summer, Messi declined offers from Al Hilal and couldn’t reach an agreement with Barcelona before opting for MLS. Explaining his decision, Messi stated, “The idea was to start decompressing a little after so many years of [my] career,” Messi explained, “to enjoy somewhere else. And I am.”
Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini
ArgentinaThis season he played in total 4 times for 247 minutes for Major League Soccer.
Lionel Messi scored 1 goal for Inter Miami. He procured twice assists. He received no yellow cards and no red cards.
His team is currently 14th in Major League Soccer. In the last match Inter Miami won 4-0 against Toronto.
Inter Miami performance and stats
Inter Miami
Inter Miami is currently 14th in the Major League Soccer with 31 points.
In the last 28 games, it has won 9 times, drawn 4 times, and lost 15 times. In its last match, Inter Miami won 4-0 against Toronto.
It has a negative goal difference after scoring 36 goals and conceding 44.
Inter Miami will play the next match in Major League Soccer against Orlando City on Sunday 24th of September in Orlando. The prediction is Orlando City winning the match.
