Rumors of what Argentina soccer team captain Lionel Messi will do after he retires from football and his career path have been going around for some time now. However, since Messi has confirmed that the FIFA World Cup 2022 is his final World Cup, the day that he retires from playing is not far away.
“I feel very happy, to be able to achieve this, to finish my World Cup journey by playing my last game in a final,” Messi told Argentine media outlet Diario Deportivo Ole after Argentina advanced into the finals.
“It’s many years for the next one and I don’t think I’ll be able to do it. And to finish like this, it’s the best,” he added.
As he announced his retirement on the Grand Finale, he must be prepared himself to give his best performance of his life. We’re lucky that we’ll be the witnesses of the history he is going to make #ArgentinaVsFrance #Messi𓃵 pic.twitter.com/EE39qcrHlh
— Argentine_Football_Fans_of_Bangladesh (@FootballFansof2) December 16, 2022
The Paris Saint-Germain star is now featuring in his fifth World Cup. He surpassed the four World Cup finals appearances of Diego Maradona and Javier Mascherano.
Also with his fifth goal in Qatar, a penalty against Croatia in the semi-final, he also surpassed Gabriel Batistuta. Now, he is the top scorer for Argentina at World Cups, netting 11 times.
“It’s all well and good (the records), but the important thing is to be able to achieve the group objective, which is the most beautiful thing of all,” Messi continued. “We’re just one step away, after fighting hard, and we’re going to give everything to try to make it happen this time.”
On Sunday, December 18, 2022, Messi will play the final of the FIFA World Cup 2022, in Qatar against France. It will be his last dance at the World Cup.
Lionel Messi is not interested in coaching
Speculations about Messi’s short-term and long-term future are in full flow. It is still not confirmed where Messi will play his club football next season. The Argentine’s contract with PSG expires in the summer of 2023.
PSG chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi has stated his confirmation on the matter. “I confirm a thousand times that Leo Messi is very happy with PSG,” he told RMC Sport. “I think he wants to stay, We will discuss it after the World Cup.”
Messi’s options include staying at PSG, moving to Inter Miami in the US, or going back to Barcelona if they can afford him.
Regarding Messi’s long-term future, he has stated that he is not interested in coaching.
🗣Leo Messi :
“I think I will continue to be associated with football after my retirement but I still don’t know in what position. I don’t see myself as a coach, today, that doesn’t catch my eye.”
🇦🇷🐐🔥 pic.twitter.com/ecBYZgzmT7
— PSG Chief (@psg_chief) November 15, 2022
Messi said that he doesn’t “really intend to be a coach, but [former Real Madrid manager Zinedine] Zidane said exactly that, and, after that, he became a coach and won the Champions League 3 times.”
“I like sporting director, team building, and accompanying coaches. But I’m not entirely sure, either,” he declared during a recent interview with Sebastian Vignolo.
This might not go down well with soccer fans who are hoping to continue to see Messi in the dugout. It is still not clear in Messi’s mind what he wants to do after his retirement. However, we can be assured that whatever he decides will be right for him and his family.