Sports
Lionel Messi Knows Exactly When to Hang His Boots
Lionel Messi is one of the most famous footballers in the world. The Argentine-born player is one of the most decorated players and has won various…
Lionel Messi is one of the most famous footballers in the world. The Argentine-born player is one of the most decorated players and has won various trophies, awards, and accolades.
He was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina. He plays in a forward position, mostly dominating the right flank, and has also played as an attacking midfielder several times. He is also one of the most followed people on Instagram, with more than 501 million followers.
He is currently 36 years old and playing in the American League’s MLS team, Inter Miami. But there have been several rumors that he is of age and thinking of retiring soon.
Lionel Messi talks about his retirement rumors
In an interview with the Big Time Podcast, Messi revealed that age will not be a deciding factor in his retirement, and he is not prepared for when that time comes.
Lionel Messi looks happy after scoring in MLS. (Credit: Instagram)
He confirmed that he would consider retiring when he feels that he is no longer performing well or enjoying playing football, or contributing to the team. He also added that if that time comes, he will retire, but otherwise, he will continue competing for his place on the football team.
Messi disclosed that he had not yet thought about his life after retirement. Currently, he is enjoying the present moment without worrying about the future and remains hopeful of finding a new role when his playing career eventually concludes.
Will Lionel Messi play in the next World Cup?
After winning the World Cup against France in 2022, Messi revealed that he had achieved his dream and shed light on the fact that the next World Cup is far away.
He is currently enjoying his time at Inter Miami and has not given clear details about whether he will play in the tournament or not. However, it is known that he is eyeing the Copa America which is set to be held in June.
He claimed that he was not thinking about the World Cup, but he was not 100% sure that anything could happen. He also added that it is normal not to be in the tournament given his age, but he will try to do well in the Copa America.
According to Nicolas Tagliafico, a fellow football player, the Copa American will play a key role in determining if Messi will play in the 2026 World Cup or not.
They are the defending champions in this year’s tournament and Nicolas claims that if they manage to retain the trophy, there is a high chance of Messi playing in the upcoming World Cup.
He added that if they had failed to win the Cup in 2022, Messi would have left the team, but since he won it, he wants to enjoy these months.
Currently, he is preparing himself for the Copa America and is focused on defending the title.
Brief Career and Achievements of Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is one of the most decorated athletes in the world. He started playing football at the age of four and joined a local club Grandoli but later joined the Newell’s Old Boys at the age of six. In 2000, he gave a trial with Barcelona and in 2001, he signed a contract on a paper napkin.
He has earned various achievements throughout his career. He made a debut against Porto in a friendly game and was later gradually established as a core member of the Barcelona team.
He played under Pep Guardiola, and Luis Enrique during his tenure in Barcelona but later joined PSG and played under Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino. After departure from PSG in 2023, he joined the American side Inter Miami on a two-and-a-half-year contract.
Throughout his football tenure, he has won several awards and accolades. He has won La Liga 10 times in 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, and 2018–19 seasons.
He has also won Copa del Rey seven times ( 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21), Supercopa de España seven times (2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018), and UEFA Champions League four times (2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15). UEFA Super Cup three times ( 2009, 2011, 2015) and FIFA Club World Cup three times ( 2009, 2011, 2015).
He also won Copa America in 2021 and the long-awaited trophy in his career FIFA World Cup in 2022. Apart from team honors, he has also won several individual awards. He is the one and only player in this history to win FIFA Ballon d’Or eight times.
He has also won the FIFA Best Player’s Award, Golden Boot, Silver Boot, World Player of the Year, and several other awards throughout his career.
One of his latest triumphs is winning the Ligue 1 two times in 2021–22, 2022–23 seasons, the FIFA World Cup in 2022, and the MLS league in 2023 despite joining the mid-season.