Lionel Messi retires from the Argentina national team. A friendly against Benin at River Plate’s Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires marks the end of his Argentina career. MLS will be the only place where fans can continue to watch him until the end of his career. The Inter Miami captain still has several challenges ahead of him in the United States.
Argentina woke up with a mixture of melancholy and pride. Starting next November, they will have to play for the first time in more than 20 years without the possibility of calling up Lionel Andrés Messi for senior national team. Benin was the footballer’s final friendly with the shirt in which he dominated world football throughout the last half-decade. MLS is the big winner of everything that is coming in the next months.
Major League Soccer will remain Messi’s home until at least 2028. It is the project that attracted him the most after he left Paris Saint-Germain in 2023, and where he has been building a successful legacy both on and off the pitch. Lionel is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, but he still has several challenges ahead of him that he could overcome before retiring from professional football.
1,000 Official Goals
No one should think that Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player chasing this milestone. While the Portuguese forward is closer to reaching 1,000 official goals with 979, Messi is also within reach of the landmark. The Argentine has scored a total of 931 goals since making his debut more than 20 years ago. He is now just 69 goals away from reaching 1,000 official goals.
Concacaf Champions Cup
Inter Miami has already won several trophies with Messi. The only major trophy still missing from their cabinet is the biggest continental competition in Concacaf. Mexican teams have so far been a major obstacle for both the Argentine and the Herons. He has until 2028 to pursue the title, which could even give him the chance to play in another Intercontinental Cup with David Beckham’s team.
Get Inter Miami Onto the MLS Podium
At the moment, the LA Galaxy are the most successful team in MLS history with six titles. D.C. United follow with four, while the Columbus Crew are third with three. Messi and Inter Miami currently have just the title they won last year, but if they were to win every remaining season of Lionel’s contract, they could match the Ohio side as the third-most successful club in MLS history. This is probably the most difficult challenge the left-footed star will face before retiring.
Maintain MLS’s Commercial Growth
Television rights deals for the league have skyrocketed. So have the number of ways fans can watch Major League Soccer every weekend. The league is increasingly attracting major stars from across the Atlantic, and much of that is down to the impact Messi has on both his own club and its opponents. Continuing to lay the foundations for a strong and financially sustainable MLS will be another of his major challenges before retirement.
The Free-Kick Goals Record
This is probably the record Messi is closest to breaking. The Argentine currently has 76 direct free-kick goals in his career. Only Brazilian Marcelinho Carioca, with 78, is ahead of him. All signs point to the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain player becoming the player with the most free-kick goals in football history sooner rather than later.
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