Messi breaks silence after MLS playoff exit. What’s next for him?

Lionel Messi’s Major League Soccer season is over. So, what’s next for the Argentine World Cup champion in the United States?

A busy 2025 and possibly World Cup in 2026? That’s surely the hope.

Messi’s pending retirement? Not yet, but it’s closer than we think.

Messi is on the last ride of his legendary career. He is under contract with Inter Miami through 2025. He’ll be 38 years old next June, and hasn’t committed to playing in the next World Cup when he’ll be 39.

Injuries, fatigue, and even an upset of epic proportions were in the cards in 2024. They’ll certainly be on the table again in the next year or two for him.

“A season ended in which we continued to grow as a club and, although we achieved some goals, we wanted more,” Messi wrote on Instagram Monday. “Thanks to all the people who joined and supported us. Now let’s get ready to come back stronger next year.”

Messi and Inter Miami were eliminated by Atlanta United in the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs Saturday. It was among the biggest upsets in league history, and a sour way to end Messi’s first full season with the club.

Messi’s status as one of the greatest to ever play the sport is unchanged despite Inter Miami’s first-round playoff exit. But being unable to cap a historic MLS season with the MLS Cup is undoubtedly a shortcoming for him, Inter Miami, the league, and corporate partners like Apple TV.

Messi will play the final two games of his year helping Argentina qualify for the next World Cup. Argentina visits Paraguay on Wednesday, and will host Peru next Tuesday. Then, the offseason begins for Messi while the MLS Cup Playoffs continue without him.

Inter Miami is on the clock. The club co-owned by David Beckham and brothers Jorge and Jose Mas was already all in for 2024, having secured talent to surround Messi and maintain the team’s rhythm during his absences. They won two titles, the 2023 Leagues Cup and MLS Supporters’ Shield, this season. Can they find that same magic next year?

Luis Suarez is in contract talks to return. Jordi Alba wants to return, and Sergio Busquets will likely run it back if the others are. And maybe, Neymar reunites with his fellow former Barcelona stars when his contract with Saudi Arabian powerhouse Al-Hilal expires next summer.

Messi won’t have major national team obligations outside of World Cup qualifiers next year. Inter Miami will play in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the Club World Cup, Leagues Cup and compete again for the MLS title in 2025. Including another Supporters Shield chase, Inter Miami has five chances to win titles.

“The step I wanted to take here did not mean a retirement – far from it,” Messi said of joining Inter Miami. “We came to continue making this club great …  to help with the growth [and] winning titles.”

Still, it’s clear Messi is close to the end of his prime. He’s shown flashes of brilliance, but faded during the most important games of the year.

Messi scored a goal and played in five of six games during Copa America. He missed a penalty kick in the quarterfinal vs. Ecuador, trying to chip a shot down the middle that sailed over the post and landed on top of net.

He also tried to play through an injured right ankle in the final against Columbia. He sobbed on the bench in disappointment as his ankle swelled like a softball when he left the game in the second half.

It was a good thing his teammates, like star goalie Dibu Martinez shut the door on the competition, and Lautaro Martinez scored the game-winner in the final to help Messi and Argentina win their second straight Copa America final.

During the MLS season, Messi scored a goal and had five assists against the New York Red Bulls May 4. He scored twice against reigning champion Columbus Crew to help Miami win the Supporters’ Shield Oct. 2. He even had two hat tricks in a week – one for Argentina, and in Inter Miami’s season finale to clinch the MLS points record – just before the playoffs.

But Messi scored just one goal with an assist in the first three MLS playoff games of his career as Inter Miami’s season came to an end in upset fashion.

Atlanta interim coach Rob Valentino galvanized his team with a “nothing to lose, everything to win” attitude. No player responded more than Atlanta goalie Brad Guzan, who was impenetrable during the series, accounting for 17 saves.

Inter Miami also played the majority of the final two matches in the series without Busquets, the legendary midfielder who played as a centerback for most of the season. He suffered a knock that caused pneumonia-like symptoms and was cleared to play in Saturday’s finale, just one day prior to the match.

Busquets’ injury left Inter Miami goalie Drake Callender on an island defensively, which proved to be a poor recipe for success. Atlanta outscored Inter Miami 5-2 in the final two games, and 6-5 in the series.

The disparity between Inter Miami and Atlanta, however, was glaring. Inter Miami had two MVP finalists in Messi and Suarez. Messi’s $20.46 million salary alone is more than Atlanta’s $15.2 million payroll, which ranks 23rd among 29 MLS teams. The 34 points between them in the standings was the largest in MLS postseason history.

“The expectation is to win and move on. And when that doesn’t happen, it hurts pretty bad. I think that’s what we are experiencing,” Callender said after the loss.

Messi has graced MLS and the United States with the final years of his career, and whether he leads Inter Miami to another title won’t take away from the allure of what he’s already done.

Inter Miami’s first playoff game was Apple TV’s most watched sporting event.

Messi owns the No. 1 selling jersey in MLS and globally for adidas, helping Inter Miami become an international brand for the league.

More people attended MLS games in person this season than any other of its 30-year history, while the league also experienced surges in corporate sponsorships and social media outreach.

Inter Miami has become the most followed North American sports team on TikTok (10.2 million followers) and the third most followed on Instagram (17.2M followers) behind the NBA’s Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers.

Messi’s personal endeavors continue to thrive with his own drink, cologne, action-hero toy and menu with Hard Rock, and other business partnerships with adidas, Michelob Ultra, Lays, Lowe’s to name a few.

Sure, business is booming, and will continue to for Messi.

But the window is closing.

Messi’s most adoring fans just don’t know if he has a year or two left.

“Honestly, I don’t know how limited [his time here] is,” Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said of Messi’s future. “Time passes and clearly it’s on the horizon, but I wouldn’t say that it’s coming anytime soon.”