Lionel Messi Says Coaching Isn’t in His Plans as He Looks Ahead to Life After Playing

Messi outlines a different vision for retirement

Lionel Messi has offered a clear view of how he imagines his future once his playing days are over. Rather than stepping into the technical area as a coach, the Argentina star says he is more drawn to the idea of running and building a club.

In an interview with the Luzu TV streaming channel that was recorded in December and aired Tuesday, the 38-year-old was direct about the path he does not expect to take. “I don’t see myself as a coach,” Messi said. While he noted an interest in management, he explained that if he had to choose among different roles, ownership would be his preference.

“I like management, but if have to decide for one of the three, I would like to be an owner,” he said. Messi added that the appeal lies in the long-term nature of building something: having his own club, helping it grow, and creating opportunities for young players and local communities.

Why ownership appeals to him

Messi framed ownership as a chance to start from the bottom and develop a club into something significant. In his words, the attraction is the ability “to be able to grow it, to start from the bottom and to be able to give the kids, the people, the opportunity to grow and make it an important club.”

That emphasis on development and opportunity stands out in how he described his goals. Rather than focusing on match-to-match tactics or the day-to-day demands of coaching, Messi highlighted a broader project: building structures that can help young players progress and giving communities a club that can become meaningful over time.

Existing involvement in club ownership

Messi’s comments also align with steps he has already taken while still playing. He is a part owner of Deportivo LSM, a fourth-division team in Uruguay that is co-owned by his Inter teammate Luis Suárez.

Suárez has described Deportivo LSM as a long-term project with personal significance. In a video released last May alongside Messi, Suárez said the club began as “a family dream” in 2018 and has grown to more than 3,000 members. He also explained his motivation in terms of creating opportunities for young people in Uruguay, saying he wants to offer “opportunities and tools for teenagers and children to grow.”

Messi’s involvement in Deportivo LSM provides a practical example of the kind of work he says interests him: supporting a club’s development and contributing to a project that is built over time, rather than moving directly into coaching after retirement.

Inter Miami contract extension through 2028

Any post-retirement plans remain in the future, and Messi’s current focus is still on playing. In October, he signed a three-year contract extension with Inter Miami that runs through the 2028 season.

The contract also includes a future minority ownership stake in Inter. This detail connects his present situation to the longer-term interests he described in his interview, reinforcing that ownership is not just a theoretical idea for him but something already built into his professional arrangements.

On-field milestones in MLS

While discussing what comes after football, Messi continues to produce at a high level on the pitch. During the season referenced in the provided information, he won the MLS Golden Boot after scoring 29 goals. That total placed him five goals ahead of LAFC’s Denis Bouanga and Nashville’s Sam Surridge.

His impact extended beyond scoring. Messi also recorded 19 assists, bringing his combined total of goals and assists to 48 goal contributions. That figure was one shy of matching the league record set by Carlos Vela in 2019.

He also became the first player in MLS history to win back-to-back MVP awards, adding another milestone to his domestic career in the United States.

A career shaped by major achievements

Messi’s comments about ownership come from a player whose career has already included the sport’s biggest prizes. He led Argentina to the World Cup title in Qatar in 2022, an achievement that remains one of the defining moments of his international career.

Individually, he is an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, a record that underscores his standing in the game. Yet his remarks suggest that when he thinks about the next phase, he is considering influence in a different form—less about personal accolades and more about building an institution that can grow and provide opportunities.

What his remarks indicate about the next chapter

Messi did not present coaching as a likely destination, even though it is a common route for retired players. Instead, he described a preference for management and, most of all, ownership—an interest in shaping a club’s direction, building it up, and supporting pathways for young players.

With an extended playing contract through 2028, part ownership of Deportivo LSM, and a future minority stake in Inter Miami included in his deal, Messi’s stated ambitions align with concrete involvement in football beyond the pitch. For now, the timeline still centers on his playing career, but his comments provide a straightforward look at the kind of role he believes would suit him best after retirement.

• Messi said he does not see himself becoming a coach.
• He expressed a preference for club ownership and long-term development.
• He is already a part owner of Uruguay’s Deportivo LSM, co-owned with Luis Suárez.
• He signed a contract extension with Inter Miami through the 2028 season, which includes a future minority ownership stake in the club.
• He won the MLS Golden Boot with 29 goals, added 19 assists, and recorded 48 goal contributions—one shy of the league record set in 2019.
• He became the first player to win back-to-back MLS MVP awards.