The 36-year-old World Cup champion has no plans to join an Argentine team to write the final chapter of his career.
“I think Inter Miami will be my last club. Today I think it will be my last club,” Messi told ESPN.
Messi is preparing to take part in the Copa America with Argentina, the tournament’s reigning champions. The former FC Barcelona star has nothing left to prove on the pitch and ticked off the last major event missing from his record by winning the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
He won his eighth Ballon d’Or and left Europe last year to join the Major League Soccer (MLS) club. His contract with the Florida team is due to end at the end of the 2025 season.
“It was a difficult step to leave Europe to come here,” he said. Becoming world champion helped me a lot to see things differently. But I don’t think about it, I try to enjoy it. The reason is that I am aware that I have less and less left to play. »
Many Argentine fans were hoping that Messi would finish his career with Newell’s Old Boys, the club with which he began his training in his hometown of Rosario.
Messi said he was trying to enjoy the final stretch of his career as much as possible.
“I have a good time with the team, I am lucky to have friends among my teammates [Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets et Jordi Alba], said Messi. I had good times with the national team, where I have friends too. »
“I appreciate the little details that I know I will miss. I’ve been doing this my whole life. I love playing ball, training, the day-to-day life of game days. And yes, there is always this fear that everything will end. »