A few days ago, we discussed Lionel Messi’s official announcement that he will not play for the Argentine national team again, making the 2026 World Cup his final tournament and appearance for his country.
With that news, one could assume the GOAT’s professional era is ending, and the only thing to do next is retire from Inter Miami and professional soccer.
Alongside social media, there has been some speculation about when that would be. Many have assumed he would retire in 2028, when his contract with Inter Miami expires.
However, Messi’s contract reportedly contains a clause allowing him to leave the club at the end of any year until 2028. Still, an old interview with Luis Suarez could reveal the real time Lionel Messi will retire.
Could it be the last six months of Lionel Messi as a professional soccer player?
To start, Luis Suárez’s contract with Inter Miami expires at the end of the season, so one would assume that the final piece of the quartet of former FC Barcelona players who arrived at Inter Miami will be gone, leaving only the GOAT.
However, in a previous interview, Suárez revealed that he and Messi had planned to retire together. At the time, it seemed unrealistic to think that Messi would retire from professional soccer within a year, especially while being as active as ever.
However, the death of his father may have changed the situation significantly, meaning that what the former Liverpool striker said could actually happen. I assume Messi will finish his professional era by playing one last Copa America and finishing his contract in 2028; now I don’t know what to assume.
Still, in these last couple of games, if you watched the Herons, you’ll see a different Lionel Messi from a few games ago. He returned to that competitive aspect, and more importantly, his smile returned.
Why does that matter? Because as long as Messi is happy, he’ll want to keep playing, which means he might not retire at the end of this season, giving us more time to enjoy his extraordinary talent. No matter when he decides to hang up his boots, we should savor every moment we have left to witness the GOAT in action.
Whatever Messi chooses, we must appreciate everything he’s contributed and never take his greatness for granted. Whether these are his final six months or we’re gifted another year, every match is a privilege.
¡Thank you, GOAT, and if this is his final season, let’s enjoy!
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