Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi said he doesn't see himself coaching in the future and said he likes the idea of owning and developing his own club after retiring.
“I don’t consider myself a coach,” Messi said in an interview with Argentine streaming channel Luzu TV that aired on Tuesday. “I like being a manager, but I would prefer to be an owner. I would like to have my own club, start from the bottom and make it grow. To be able to give children the opportunity to develop and achieve something important. If I had to choose, this is what I would be most attracted to.”
Messi recently signed a contract extension with Inter Miami until the 2028 MLS season, which will keep him active on the field for another couple of years. However, he has already found ways to implement the idea of ownership by collaborating with a longtime teammate. Luis Suarez about the launch of the Uruguayan fourth division team Deportivo LSM. The club, whose initials stand for Luis Suarez and Messi, boasts 80 working professionals and 3,000 members.
“Deportivo LS is a family dream that started in 2018. We have grown significantly, with over 3,000 members,” Suarez said. “I want to offer Uruguayan football, the place I love and where I grew up as a child, opportunities and tools for teenagers and children to grow.”
Suarez initially started the project before inviting Messi to take part.
“I am proud and happy that you chose me, so I hope to contribute everything I can to continue to grow and, above all, to be there for you in this,” Messi said in a statement.
Messi also recently launched the Messi Cup, an under-16 youth tournament that brought together eight academy teams from around the world playing in Miami in hopes of developing talent and competition.
River Plate won the first edition of the Messi Cup in December, defeating Atlético Madrid in the final. For now, Messi will continue to focus on matters on the pitch as a defensive player. MLS Cup winners Inter Miami begin their 2026 campaign on February 21 away against LAFC.
