Lionel Messi knows his illustrious career is running out of time as the Argentina great suggested his club playing days will end with Inter Miami.
The Barcelona legend completed a switch to MLS side Miami last year after two decades of European football with the Blaugrana and Paris Saint-Germain.
As Messi starts to prepare for Argentina s Copa America defence this month, retirement remains a pertinent question for the global superstar.
The 36-year-old, speaking to ESPN, acknowledged Miami will likely be my last club as the fear sets in over ending his playing career sooner rather than later.
I ve done this all of my life; I love playing ball, the eight-time Ballon d Or winner said on Wednesday.
I enjoy the practices and the day-to-day, the games. There s a bit of fear that it s all ending. It s always there. It was a difficult step leaving Europe to come here [Miami].
The fact we won the World Cup helped, it helped a lot, to see things in another way. But I try not to think about it, I try to enjoy it.
I do that more now because I m aware that there s not a lot of time left. So I have a good time with the club, being lucky to have good team-mates and friends at my side.
I enjoy my time with the national team, where I also have good friends, too, and a lot. I enjoy those small details that I know I ll miss when I stop playing.
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└ Lionel Messi.
└ CONMEBOL Copa America 2021
— CONMEBOL Copa América ENG (@copaamerica_ENG)
Messi is Barcelona s all-time top scorer with 672 goals, as well as lifting four Champions League trophies amid a glittering career.
Yet the ageing forward insists World Cup glory in 2022 remains his crowning moment, following in the footsteps of late Albiceleste great Diego Maradona.
Obviously, I was sad that he couldn t experience what we experienced [winning the 2022 World Cup], because I know what he felt for the national team and what he would say about Argentina being world champion again, he added.
We went through a World Cup together which aside from the result was an impressive experience, going through that day-to-day with him, how happy he was, seeing him enjoy being the manager.
So I try to remember all the good times that we had together. I know that he loved me a lot, and I loved him, despite what was said in the media.
The reality is we had a lot of affection for each other, and since he met me he was always supportive and wanted the best for me.
It was a shame that he couldn t live to experience it like the rest of the country did.
