> At a Glance
> – Lionel Messi says he wants to be a club owner, not a coach, once he retires
> – The 38-year-old Inter Miami star already co-owns Uruguay’s Deportivo LSM and holds a minority stake in Inter Miami
> – Why it matters: One of soccer’s greatest players is mapping out a post-retirement path that could reshape how clubs develop talent
Lionel Messi is already plotting his second act. In a December interview that aired Tuesday on Luzu TV, the Argentine great said ownership-not the sideline-calls to him once his playing career ends.
Ownership Over Coaching
> “I don’t see myself as a coach,” Messi told Luzu TV. “I like management, but if I have to decide for one of the three I would like to be an owner.”
His vision is specific: start small, build from the ground up, and open doors for young players.
> “I would like to have my own club, to be able to grow it, to start from the bottom and to give the kids, the people, the opportunity to grow and make it an important club.”
Current Stakes
Messi’s ownership résumé already includes:
- Deportivo LSM (Uruguay’s fourth division), co-owned with Luis Suárez since 2018
- A minority stake in Inter Miami, baked into the three-year extension he signed in October that runs through the 2028 season
> “Deportivo LS is a family dream that began in 2018. We have grown a lot with more than 3,000 members,” Suárez said last May alongside Messi. “I want to offer Uruguayan soccer … opportunities and tools for teenagers and children to grow.”
Still Dominant on the Field
Before shifting full-time to the boardroom, Messi continues to rewrite MLS record books:
- 29 goals in 2024-five clear of the next-best scorers
- 19 assists
- 48 total goal contributions, one shy of Carlos Vela’s 2019 record
- First player to win back-to-back MLS MVP awards
| Milestone | Number |
|---|---|
| Goals | 29 |
| Assists | 19 |
| Goal Contributions | 48 |
| MVP Awards | 2 straight |
Key Takeaways
- Messi’s post-retirement goal is to build a club from scratch rather than manage one
- He already owns a Uruguayan fourth-division side and part of Inter Miami
- On the pitch, he just collected his second straight MLS MVP and the Golden Boot
Ownership, not coaching, drives the 2022 World Cup winner as he eyes life after soccer.
