"He needs to have his family comfortable and happy" - Lionel Messi's biographer names club where Argentina captain will finish his career
Lionel Messi's biographer Guillem Balague recently revealed in a podcast that he believes the Argentine icon will finish his playing career at Inter Miami.
The 36-year-old attacker joined the MLS outfit this summer from Paris Saint-Germain and is currently contracted with the club until December 2025. Should he decide to hang up his boots towards the end of his agreement with the Herons, Messi would be aged 38.
Many believe that the 2022 World Cup winner could finish his career with his boyhood Rosario-based side Newell's Old Boys. Some wish for the superstar's return to Barcelona, where he bagged 672 goals and 303 assists from 778 appearances across all competitions.
However, Balague believes that Messi will call it a day with his current Florida-based football team. Claiming that the Argentina captain wishes for his family to remain happy and comfortable, he told The Debrief podcast:
"Yes. I say that because now there’s a live sight to it. He needs to have his family comfortable and happy and he’ll do that. He would go back to Barcelona in some capacity but Inter Miami will be his last club, I’m pretty sure of that."
Messi recently pipped Manchester City's Erling Haaland to win his eighth Ballon d'Or title in Paris, while also clarifying that he wouldn't return to Europe. Hence, a return to Barcelona remains unlikely at the moment.
Lionel Messi dreams of finishing his career with boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys
Lionel Messi clarified that he always dreamt of returning to his hometown club Newell’s Old Boys to finish his playing career. He made these comments soon after winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, revealing that he placed the former idea above winning the coveted international trophy.
Messi left the Argentina-based club back in 2000 to play for Barcelona's youth side. After completing an incredibly successful career in Europe, Messi said about returning to Newell's Old Boys (via Goal):
“I always had that idea and even more so having won the World Cup. To enjoy Argentine football and play for Newell’s. When I was a child, I’d go to Newell’s stadium and it was my dream to play there."
Currently, the Barcelona legend is seemingly happy with Inter Miami, a club he joined only this summer. So far, he's bagged 11 goals and five assists from 14 appearances for the Herons across all competitions.