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Lionel Messi Announces The Last Club Of His Career
Inter Miami will be the last club Lionel Messi plays for, the 36-year-old said on Wednesday, adding he feels “a little bit scared” at the thought of the day he decides to retire.
Leo Messi, who won the World Cup with Argentina in 2022, has a contract with the Major League Soccer side, Inter Miami, until 2025 after his arrival last summer after a spell with French champions PSG.
Despite ongoing speculation linking him with a return to his childhood club Newell’s Old Boys, Messi clarified in an ESPN interview that he intends to conclude his career in the United States.
“Inter Miami will be my last club. I love playing football. I enjoy everything even more because I am aware that there is less and less left,” Messi said. “I’m not ready to leave football. I’ve done this all my life, I love playing football, I enjoy training, the day-to-day, the matches … And yes, there’s always a little bit of fear that it’s all over.”
The eight-time record Ballon d’Or winner, Messi, is ready to defend the Copa América championship with Argentina. The competition commences on 20 June in the United States.
Leo Messi With 2021 Copa America Trophy
Messi also addressed Kylian Mbappé’s remarks regarding the caliber of the World Cup in comparison to the European Championships. “Euro is a really difficult competition, probably more than the World Cup,” Mbappé told L’Équipe last week.
“Well, everybody prioritizes their tournament,” Messi said in response to the Frenchman’s comments. “The Euros is very important and has the best teams, but he’s leaving out three-time champion Argentina, five-time champion Brazil, two-time champion Uruguay. There are a lot of world champions left off to say that it’s the most difficult tournament.”
“The best teams play in the World Cup, which generally includes all the world champions. There’s a reason everybody wants to be champions.”
Messi also said that his World Cup victory had helped put his career in perspective.
Leo Messi With 2022 World Cup Trophy
“The fact we won the World Cup helped, it helped a lot, to see things in another way. 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,” he said. “So I have a good time with the club, being lucky having good teammates and friends at my side.”
After a six-month absence, Messi made his comeback on the international scene, aiding Argentina in a 1-0 triumph over Ecuador in a Copa América preparation game last week. Initially a substitute, he took to the field in the 56th minute, replacing Ángel Di María.
A hamstring injury had sidelined the forward, preventing his involvement in Argentina’s previous two Copa América warm-up matches against El Salvador and Costa Rica back in March.
Argentina’s opening match will be against Canada in Atlanta, followed by encounters with Group A opponents Chile on 25 June in New Jersey and Peru four days later in Miami.
