Football icon Lionel Messi has revealed his post-retirement plans, saying he does not want to be a coach but would prefer to own a soccer club.
Messi, who is currently playing in the Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami at the age of 38, is nearing the end of his professional career, which has spanned over two decades.
Messi shared his post-retirement plans while speaking with Luzu TV, saying he does not intend to become a coach in the future but sees himself in the role of a club owner.
“I don’t see myself as a coach. I like the idea of being a manager, but I’d prefer to be an owner. I’d like to have my own club, start from the bottom, and make it grow. To be able to give the kids the opportunity to develop and achieve something important. If I had to choose, that’s what would appeal to me most”, he said.
The Argentina international has launched a professional club named Deportivo LSM alongside his long-time friend and teammate, Luis Suarez. The club competes in the fourth tier of the Uruguayan football pyramid.
It seems like Lionel Messi wants to follow the footsteps of Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham, who decided not to become a coach or pundit after a successful career.
Messi’s former teammate, Gerard Piqué, also chose the same path with ownership of the Spanish club FC Andorra.
Argentina legend is still delivering on the football field, and has won the MLS MVP award for the second consecutive time this season.
Messi has become the first player in MLS history to win back-to-back MVP awards, and he has also helped his team win the league as well.
