After winning his eighth Ballon d’Or this week, Lionel Messi has hinted that he may retire and feels he will never win another.
- Messi not expecting ninth Ballon d’Or
- became 36 in the summer.
- Agreement till 2025 with Inter Miami
WHAT HAPPENED? On Monday night in Paris, Messi won his eighth Ballon d’Or, breaking the previous record. However, the 36-year-old isn’t planning to make it nine. He quit European club football after his contract at Paris Saint-Germain expired in the summer to join Inter Miami.
WHAT THEY SAID: “[I] stopped thinking about the Ballon d’Or,” Messi said to L’Equipe. “I believe this is my final Ballon d’Or. And I’m content that I’ve accomplished everything and that I’m the only player with eight Ballons d’Or. That’s it as well.”
DID YOU KNOW? Prior to Messi, only three players had ever won more Ballon d’Or honours; this record was held by Marco van Basten, Michel Platini, and John Cruyff.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: If Messi continues to play, he will be 39 years old by the time of the 2026 World Cup. There have been rumours that the Inter Miami forward, having won what he believes to be his last Golden Ball, may hang up his boots. Messi, nevertheless, maintains that he hasn’t begun to consider giving up on his passion for the game. He continued, “I want to play for a very long time,” to L’Equipe. We’ll have to wait and see how my health develops. I’m not sure when. Every day brings new developments. However, I hope it lasts for a very long time. since I enjoy doing that, for a very long time.”
FUTURE PLANS FOR MESSI? The superstar’s first full season at Inter Miami will be in 2024; he has a deal that runs until December 2025. At that point, there have already been rumours that he might leave the country to complete his career with his hometown club, Newell’s Old Boys, in Rosario, Argentina.