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Lionel Messi says he expects to end his club career with Inter Miami.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner joined the Major League Soccer club from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023 in a move marking the first time he had played domestic football outside of Europe.
Messi, 36, explained earlier this month that he was yet to make a decision on whether he would participate at the 2026 World Cup for Argentina, and has now said he is “a bit scared” thinking about the end of his playing career.
Asked if Inter Miami will be his last club in an interview with ESPN, Messi replied: “Yes. I think so, yes. Right now I think it’s going to be my last club, yes.”
Messi has made 29 appearances for Inter Miami during his first year at the club, providing 25 goals and 16 assists.
He was part of the side that won the 2023 Leagues Cup, scoring in the final and converting his penalty in the shootout, as Miami secured its first major trophy.
The 2023 Leagues Cup was Miami’s first piece of silverware (Chris Arjoon/AFP via Getty Images)
After winning every domestic honour with Barcelona, Messi has also ticked off international success with Argentina in recent years, winning the 2021 Copa America and 2022 World Cup.
He will represent Argentina at this summer’s Copa America and last week explained that his participation at the 2026 World Cup would be determined by how he was feeling physically. However, he said the end of his playing career is not something he is completely ready for.
“I don’t think I am (prepared to leave football) either,” Messi added. “All my life I’ve done this, I love playing ball and I enjoy training and the day-to-day of matches. I am a bit scared of it all ending, that’s always there.
“It was a difficult move leaving Europe to come here. Being a world champion helped and to see things a different way as well. But I don’t think about it — I try to enjoy things. That’s why I enjoy everything a lot more because I’m aware that I have less and less time left and I’m having a good time.
“I’m having a good time at the club with the good fortune to have team-mates and my friends next to me. I have a good time with the national team, where I have team-mates and friends as well, a lot of them, and I enjoy the small details that I know that I’ll miss when I’m not playing anymore.”
Argentina begin their Copa America campaign against Canada on Thursday.
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(Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)