FC Barcelona legend Lionel Messi has already chosen to retire at Newell's Old Boys and join them in ... [+]
FC Barcelona icon Lionel Messi has already decided to leave Inter Miami in 2025 according to El Nacional.
Furthermore, the Argentine has already decided which is his next destination, and the club where he will retire after completing arguably the greatest football career of all time.
The 36-year-old threw a curveball at Culers this summer when choosing not to return to his employers of more than 20 years in FC Barcelona.
Messi was nearing free agency at the time with Paris Saint Germain. Rather than wait for the Catalans to get their financial house in order, however, the number 10 ventured over the Atlantic to Inter Miami in the MLS where he has been a roaring success.
He penned a two-year deal which pays him "between $50 and $60 million per year" as explained by Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas to El Pais, though there have been reports that Messi will make eyewatering sums in separate deals with Apple
Whether this is accurate or not, Messi is once again a free man in 2025. And while his current country of residence the United States will host the World Cup with Mexico and Canada which Argentina will go into as defending champions, their current captain looks set to head south as opposed to continuing his career on American soil.
This is because Messi has already decided to join boyhood club Newell's Old Boys in his hometown of Rosario according to El Nacional, in what would be the ultimate show of respect to their typically hardcore supporters.
Messi got a feel for the kind of adoration he would receive on a weekly basis from them when playing in a testimonial match for Maxi Rodriguez at their Estadio Marcelo Bielsa this summer.
After landing Abliceleste their third World Cup title at Qatar 2022, it is something that would be replicated at grounds around Argentina where Messi has finally been accepted by the general public after emerging out of Diego Maradona's shadow.
Playing for Newell's would bookend Messi's journey perfectly after leaving them as a 13-year-old to take a successful trial at FC Barcelona.
Regardless of where he ends up next, though, it is still likely that Messi dons Blaugrana once again in his own ttribute match when the renovation of their Camp Nou is finished.