Lionel Messi Retirement: When Will Messi Retire and What’s Next for Soccer's GOAT? | OneFootball

Lionel Messi is widely regarded as the greatest player ever to step foot on a soccer pitch.

For two decades, Messi has delivered magic moment after magic moment, carving his name into soccer folklore with golden letters, collecting a laundry-list of unforgettable performances, goals, trophies and records.

From winning everything there was to be won with Barcelona, leading one of the greatest club team's the sport has ever seen, to ending Argentina's 36-year FIFA World Cup title-drought by lifting the most prestigious trophy in soccer in 2022. Simply put, it's the most successful individual career of all time.

However, the end is approaching for the career of the best player in the history of the sport after more than 20 years of showcasing his otherworldly talent with the ball at his feet.

Here, Sports Illustrated goes in depth to analyize Messi's possible retirement timeline, the insight he's offered on the topic and what the future might hold for the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Has Lionel Messi Announced His Retirement Yet?

Lionel Messi has acknowledged he's nearing the time to walk-away from professional soccer. / IMAGO/ZUMA Press Wir

The short answer, is no.

As of the summer of 2025, Messi hasn't announced his retirement nor his plans to do so at any specific point in the future.

However, Messi has already bid farewell to European soccer in favor of MLS side Inter Miami. Given his age and that he's already won everything there's to win in the sport, retirement has become a more talked about subject whenever Messi is mentioned.

The Argentine star isn't oblivious to that and has recognized that his playing days are approaching the finish line. Yet, he's still enjoying every time he steps on the pitch, not taking for granted any moment he gets to be out there competing at a high level.

Messi continues to be one of the top players in all of MLS, even being a difference-maker in the 2025 Club World Cup. He also continues to feature regularly for the Argentina national team, only a year away from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Lionel Messi on Retirement: Quotes and Insights From the GOAT

Lionel Messi (right) has talked about wanting to spend more time with his family. / IMAGO/Xinhua

“The end is near,” Messi admitted during an event where he was recognized as the most decorated player of all time by Spanish outlet MARCA. “I'm enjoying and valuing every moment to the maximum. Thanks to God I can say I've fulfilled every dream I ever had. My biggest dream was to win a World Cup.

“I'm conscious that I'm playing my final matches and I'm enjoying them to the maximum,” Messi said after Miami's win vs. Porto at the Club World Cup. “I'm sure that you're watching my final moments in soccer's elite."

Spending time with his wife and three kids is something Messi values a lot, attributing this to a key reason for his move to Miami.

"I'm at a point in my career where I want to leave the spotlight a little bit and think about my family," Messi told Mundo Deportivo when his move to Miami was imminent. "I want to return to enjoying, enjoying my family, my kids, the day-to-day... and that's a bit of why I opted not to return to Barcelona.

“I always want to enjoy my wife and kids, my family,” Messi said on MBC's Big Time Podcast .“I play soccer with them [his kids] like any other father does."

“The moment I feel like I no longer enjoy playing or I can't play well, helping my teammates, I'll make that step to walk away. But always, if I can, I'll try to keep competing. What I'll do after leaving professional soccer? I'll try to do something I like and that fulfills me,” Messi added.

After securing World Cup glory in 2022, many believed Messi would put an end to his international career. However, Messi opted instead to continue, saying, “I'm not retiring from the national team. I want to keep playing as a World Cup champion with Argentina's shirt.”

When Could Lionel Messi Retire? Predictions and Speculation

Lionel Messi has already stated Inter Miami will be the last club he plays for. / Hannah Mckay-Reuters via Imagn Images

Messi has already revealed his final club will be Inter Miami, where his current contract is due to expire at the end of 2025. However, reports indicate that there are negotiations ongoing for Messi to sign a new deal with the Herons for at least the 2026 MLS season, where Inter Miami will move to their new stadium.

This situation goes along with the prevailing thought that Messi will participate in the 2026 World Cup, where Argentina will defend its champions crown. Prominent figures close to Messi such as teammate Luis Suárez and Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni have stated Messi wants to play in his sixth career World Cup.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has also stated it's his wish to see Messi play another World Cup.

It's likely that Messi won't hang up his boots until after the 2026 World Cup. Still, at 38-years-old, other factors such as his fitness, which has started to deteriorate, will play a significant role in his decision.

If we take Messi for his word, then he's going to keep playing until he no longer enjoys it or he feels he can't contribute at a level he deems can help his team win.

With all of this being considered, it's possible that 2026 is the last year of Messi's brilliant career.

Will Lionel Messi Retire from International Soccer First?

Lionel Messi guided Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022. / IMAGO/ActionPictures

If Messi extends his contract for another season with Miami, he'd be tied to the club until the end of 2026, well after the end of next summer's World Cup.

It wouldn't be a surprise if Messi retires from La Albiceleste after the 2026 World Cup, regardless of Argentina's performance. Still, there could be a ceremonial final match shortly after in Argentinian soil, where the nation's passionate fans would gather in their thousands to bid farewell to their national hero.

For many years, international soccer was the thorn in Messi's side. After winning a U-17 World Cup in 2005 and a gold medal with Argentina's U-23 side in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Messi failed to replicate the same success with the senior national team.

At one point, Messi lost three major tournament finals in consecutive years. First, the 2014 World Cup final vs. Germany, followed by two Copa América final defeats at the hands of Chile in 2015 and 2016. The second defeat to Chile prompted Messi to announce his retirement from the national team, although he later walked back his decision.

Then, his luck changed. With a new generation of players, Messi led Argentina's side that conquered the 2021 Copa América to clinch the nation's first major trophy in 28 years. A year later, Messi finally got his hands in the trophy he wanted most, winning the 2022 World Cup in thrilling fashion while also being named player of the tournament.

In the 2024 Copa América, Messi and Argentina defended their title and won their third major trophy since the start of the decade, putting the cherry on top of the most successful era in Argentina's history.

Yet, it's hard to envision Messi playing for La Albiceleste past 2026. He's made his desire to play another World Cup clear, but he's also acknowledged the need for new, young, up-and-coming players to take over the national team. This opens the door for Messi to retire from international soccer before he hangs up his boots for good.

What’s Next for Lionel Messi After Retirement?

Lionel Messi signed a lifetime sponsorship deal with German brand Adidas in 2017. / IMAGO/Photo News

As is the case with aging players nearing the end of their playing days, getting into coaching and beginning a managerial career is often the next step post-retirement. However, Messi has repeatedly said he has no interest in pursuing a career as a manager.

It's hard to envision Messi walking away from the sport for good. Alongside Suárez, Messi has launched a new soccer team in Uruguay, which could shed light into his desire of getting into ownership once his career is over.

It's also worth remembering that as part of Miami's bid to land Messi, they offered him shares of the club, paving the way for him to become a minority owner of the Herons.

Elsewhere, Messi has a number of business ventures that span from long-time commercial partnerships with massive brands like adidas, Gatorade and Pepsi, to personal ventures like owning the MiM Hotels chain, a number of wine labels, as well as investing in real-estate in Barcelona. More than enough for him to stay busy after his playing days.

As perhaps the most recognized figure the sport has ever known, Messi could also transition to become an ambassador for the sport, elevating the reach of the sport worldwide. Much like David Beckham and Pelé did after their respective retirements.

However, what's certain is that spending quality time with his family will be Messi's main desire once he walks away from soccer. He's already made decisions to facilitate that in the latter portion of his career and it'll surely be a top priority for him in the next chapter of his life.

Where will Messi go after retirement? If we take Beckham's words as gospel, then a return to Barcelona appears to be the likely destination.

How Will Lionel Messi’s Retirement Impact Soccer?

Lionel Messi has become an almost divine figure in Argentina folklore, much like Diego Maradona before him. / IMAGO/Ulmer/Teamfot

Whenever Messi does decide to step away from the sport, it'll be a monumental moment in soccer history, one that will mark the end of an era.

The tributes from former teammates, rivals, prominent soccer figures and millions of fans worldwide will be impossible to quantify. Simply put, it'll be a historic day that will steal headlines across the globe.

It'll be an emotional day, especially for the generation of fans that followed his career from beginning to end. The young boy from Rosario, Argentina that moved to Barcelona and conquered the sport, only to then do so again as a battle-tested veteran for his country.

Make no mistake about it, it'll be a day of mourning in Argentina, Barcelona and in many other corners of the world.

But Messi's retirement will also bring with its financial impacts. The money Messi generates in jersey sales, ticket sales and match viewership is astronomical. It's hard to put an exact number on it, but to put things in perspective, when Messi temporarily retired from international soccer, FIFA match organizer Guillermo Tofoni stated that Argentina's soccer federation could lose "over $25 million in revenue" from 2016 until the start of the 2018 World Cup.

In MLS, where Messi's presence has generated an increase in viewership, ticket sales and overall growth, is perhaps where the impact would be felt the hardest.

Nevertheless, Messi's retirement transcends money. He's a global icon whose legacy will stand the test of time. His feats on the pitch will live on in the memory of those of us who were privileged enough to watch him play and there'll still be plenty of ways to sit-back and enjoy a vintage Messi performance well after his retirement, thanks to his well-documented achievements.

Messi will continue to inspire future generations long after he hangs up his boots. That's part of what comes with being considered the best-ever.

Messi’s Retirement vs. Ronaldo’s Retirement: The Comparison

The Lionel Messi (right) and Cristiano Ronaldo individual rivalry is one of the greatest in the history of sports. / IMAGO/Nicolo Camp

Even when talking about retirement, it's impossible not to compare Messi's situation with that of his greatest ever rival: Cristiano Ronaldo.

It's almost too predictable that the retirement timelines of both players is eerily similar. Like Messi, Ronaldo is expected to represent Portugal in the 2026 World Cup. What comes after is still a mystery.

At 40, Ronaldo is two years Messi's senior. But he appears to be on a mission to give it one last shot to win a World Cup and to reach the gargantuan achievement of becoming the first player ever to reach the 1,000 goal-mark throughout his career.

"I know it's going to be over [his career] in one, two or three years. I don't know and I don't care," Ronaldo said in an interview earlier in 2025.

Messi and Ronaldo orchestrated the greatest player rivalry the sport has ever seen. Sharing the spotlight for over a decade and a half and pushing each other to incredible heights. They were the perfect Yin to each other's Yang, their rivalry was and an endless source of conversation and heated debates that became the hottest topic in soccer for years.

Rest assured, those debates will carry on, with their rabbid fanbases poised to argue who was the better player after turning 35 and why someone retiring before is an indictment on their career—or whatever else they can come up with to defend their preferred superstar. Debates surrounding who was the better player will unquestionably outlive both Messi and Ronaldo's careers on the pitch.

What's undebatable is that Messi and Ronaldo's retirement will mark the end of perhaps the greatest era in soccer history. It's an era that is almost impossible to envision being replicated. Two players being that good for that long, winning that much while sharing the pitch so many times... it's unrealistic.

So, whilst arguing over who's better is the nature of every rivalry, let's savor the final moments of Messi and Ronaldo's careers, showing gratitude for witnessing the intertwined journey of two of the greatest sportsmen the world has ever seen.