LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-Lionel Messi has acknowledged that his retirement from the Argentina national team “will be soon” after reaching “the last years” of his career.
Messi made a resounding commitment to continue playing as a champion in albiceleste colors after the forward led Argentina to their third world championship in Qatar.
He had, however, indicated before the event that he wouldn’t return for the 2026 iteration of the world championship, and he reaffirmed that position last month when he made public his upcoming transfer to MLS team Inter Miami.
He once again emphasized that he is in the latter stretch of his career and that his international retirement “will be soon” in an appearance on TV Publica, when he was questioned by his Argentina national teammates, but he opted not to give a specific time frame.
Exequiel Palacios questioned Messi on his planned retirement from international competition for Argentina. Messi responded, “Honestly, I don’t know until when.When it needs to happen, in my opinion, it will.
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“The only thing left to do now that everything has lately been accomplished is to enjoy. When that time comes, God will announce it.
“Logically, because of my age, I’m sure it will be soon. But I don’t know exactly when will be the right time. I think about the day-to-day, enjoying everything beautiful.
“We had to go through very hard times in the national team. We were fortunate enough to be World Cup and Copa America champions. It’s time to enjoy,” he added.
Meanwhile, Paulo Dybala asked Messi if he is human, and whether he gives much thought to how much he has achieved in the game.
“When you are always competing, when you always have goals ahead of you, you don’t value much what you really deserve, what you are achieving,” he said.
“I am at a moment in my career where I enjoy everything that happens to me and I value everything much more because I know that these are the last years.
“But I think that when I retire and I’m not playing anymore, I will value all of this much more. And even more so the fact of being a World champion, which will last a lifetime, especially in a country like ours, that is so fond of football, so grateful for it.”
Messi has already arrived in Florida and will be unveiled as a new Inter Miami player on 16 July at 8 p.m. ET during a “major unveiling event.”
