This archive report was first published on 1 November 2021.
Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi has ruled out retirement after the 2022 World Cup, stating that he has not given any thought to hanging up his boots.
Speaking to Catalan newspaper Sport, Messi, who will be 35 by the time the World Cup comes around in Qatar next year, said that he lives day to day and year after year, and does not know what the future holds.
‘No, truthfully no,’ he said when asked about retiring. ‘After all that has happened to me, I just live day to day, year after year. I do not know what is going to happen at the World Cup or after it. I am not thinking about it. What will be will be at that moment.’
Messi, who is tied to French Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint Germain till June 2023, also expressed his desire to return to Barcelona and even become the club's sporting director one day.
‘We will return to live in Barcelona, our life will be there, that is for sure,’ he said. ‘It is what both my wife and I want. I do not know if it will be straight after the end of my contract with Paris, but we will return to live in Barcelona. I would love to be sporting director at some point.’
Published on November 1, 2021.
