FC Barcelona legend Lionel Messi has already chosen to retire at Newell’s Old Boys and join them in … [+]
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FC Barcelona icon Lionel Messi has decided to leave Inter Miami in 2025 according to El Nacional.
And the Argentine has already chosen his next destination and the club where he will retire after completing arguably the greatest football career of all time.
The 36-year-old threw a curveball at Culers this summer when opting not to return to his former employers of more than 20 years in Barca.
Messi was nearing free agency with Paris Saint-Germain at the time. Rather than wait for the Catalans to get their financial house in order, however, the number 10 ventured over the Atlantic to Inter Miami in the MLS where he has proven a roaring success.
He penned a two-season deal which pays him “between $50 and $60 million per year” as explained by Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas to El Pais. Elsewhere, though, there have been reports that Messi will make eyewatering sums in separate arrangements with AppleAAPL +0.3% and Adidas.
Whether this is accurate or not, Messi is once again a free man in 2025.
And while his current country of residence the United States will host the World Cup with Mexico and Canada – which Argentina will go into as defending champions – a year later, their leader looks set to head south as opposed to continuing his career on American soil.
This is because Messi has already decided to join Newell’s Old Boys in his hometown of Rosario according to El Nacional, in what would be the ultimate show of respect to their typically hardcore supporters.
Messi got a feel for the kind of adoration he would receive from them on a weekly basis when playing in a testimonial match for Maxi Rodriguez at their Estadio Marcelo Bielsa a few months ago.
With Messi landing the Albiceleste their third World Cup title at Qatar 2022, it is something that would be replicated at grounds around Argentina where he has now been accepted by the general public after emerging out of Diego Maradona’s shadow.
Finally playing for Newell’s as a professional would bookend Messi’s journey perfectly after leaving their academy as a 13-year-old to take a successful trial at FC Barcelona.
Regardless of where he ends up next, though, it is still likely that Messi dons Blaugrana once more in his own tribute match when the renovation of their Camp Nou stadium is finished.
