BY OSABUOHIEN VIVIAN-ROSE
Inter Miami CF captain Lionel Messi has said he cannot see himself as a coach in the future, saying he likes the idea of owning and developing his own club after retiring from football.
“I don’t see myself as a coach,” Messi said in an interview with Luzu TV, an Argentine streaming channel, that aired Tuesday. “I like the idea of being a manager, but I’d prefer to be an owner. I’d like to have my own club, start from the bottom, and make it grow. To be able to give the kids the opportunity to develop and achieve something important. If I had to choose, that’s what would appeal to me most.”
Messi recently signed a contract extension with Inter Miami through the 2028 MLS season, keeping him active on the field for some more years. However, he has already found ways to venture into the idea of ownership by partnering up with longtime teammate Luis Suárez to launch Uruguayan fourth division team Deportivo LSM. The club, with initials that stand for Luis Suarez and Messi, boasts 80 working professionals and 3,000 members.
“Deportivo LS is a family dream that began in 2018. We have grown a lot with more than 3,000 members,” Suárez said. “I want to offer Uruguayan soccer, the place I love and where I grew up as a child, opportunities and tools for teenagers and children to grow.”
Suárez initially began the project before inviting Messi to participate.
“I’m proud and happy that you chose me, so I hope to contribute everything I can to continue growing and, above all, to be by your side in this,” Messi said in an announcement.
Recently, Messi also launched the Messi Cup, an under-16 youth tournament that featured eight academy teams from around the globe playing in Miami, in hopes of developing talent and competition.
River Plate won the inaugural edition of the Messi Cup in December, beating Atlético Madrid in the final. For now, Messi will continue to stay focused on matters on the field as a player with defending MLS Cup champions Inter Miami kicking off the 2026 campaign on Feb. 21 on the road against LAFC.
