Lionel Messi will make his 208th and final international appearance for Argentina on Tuesday, concluding an illustrious international career during an exhibition fixture against Benin at the Monumental in Buenos Aires. The nation`s all-time leading goalscorer announced his retirement from international duty on August 31, six weeks after Argentina suffered a World Cup final defeat against Spain. While national team manager Lionel Scaloni maintained that the squad`s doors remain open should he reconsider, associates confirm that the veteran forward regards this international chapter as irrevocably resolved.
His active club career in North American football continues uninterrupted.
Under a deal extending through the conclusion of the 2028 Major League Soccer campaign, Messi remains under contract with Inter Miami subject to annual mutual review. Confidants indicate that the forward plans to play as long as his physical conditioning and mental acuity permit. In evaluating his post-playing trajectory, Messi has dismissed prospective managerial paths in favor of executive club ownership, seeking strategic influence over sporting organizations without the daily logistical strain demanded of head coaches.
The administrative architecture for his ownership endeavors is already established across Spain.
In April, Messi acquired fifth-tier outfit UE Cornella outside Barcelona to operate as a technical nursery for emerging youth talent. That footprint broadened on October 1 when second-tier side CD Eldense confirmed Messi as its prospective principal owner, pending regulatory approval from the Spanish sports council. To preserve second-division status this season, former Villarreal tactician Javi Calleja was installed as manager. Messi tracks Eldense matches remotely, and the announcement of his impending ownership generated over a dozen prospective commercial sponsorship arrangements within days.
In South America, Messi established Deportivo LSM alongside Luis Suarez in May 2025, guiding the outfit to promotion into Uruguay`s third division during its inaugural season. While an ambitious multi-club syndicate was initially discussed, capital expenditures required to elevate multiple lower-league clubs prompted a strategic consolidation around Eldense`s potential progression toward La Liga. Contractual terms with Inter Miami guarantee him minority equity in the American franchise upon retirement. Speculation concerning a sentimental playing swansong with boyhood club Newell`s Old Boys has yielded no operational talks, as family life centers permanently around their residence in Castelldefels.
Youth development represents his primary sporting priority outside competitive club matches. The Under-16 Messi Cup expands to 16 participating youth academies this October at Inter Miami`s complex, hosting representatives from Barcelona, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Inter Milan.
Financial assessments published by Forbes in June situated his aggregate net worth at approximately $1.1 billion, underpinned by annual earnings near $140 million split between sporting salaries and commercial investments. His business holdings encompass a lifetime agreement with sportswear manufacturer Adidas, the MiM Hotels boutique network administered under rental agreements by Melia, and property developments along the Parana River in Rosario.
Initial commercial frameworks were cultivated by his father, Jorge Messi, who passed away in August at age 68. The Argentine icon continues to expand his multi-sector portfolio, deliberately aligning institutional ownership with commercial investments as his international playing career draws to a close.
