Lionel Messi said he hopes Inter Miami can give teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba the farewell they deserve when the pair play the final match of their careers in the MLS Cup title game against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
The midfielder and fullback will retire after Saturday’s final at Chase Stadium, closing out decorated careers alongside their former Barcelona teammate.
“It would be very nice for me, for them, for everyone,” Messi told the official MLS website Thursday. “May they finish their careers with a title and in the best possible way.”
Messi joined Miami in 2023 after leaving Paris Saint‑Germain, while Busquets and Alba arrived following their exits from Barcelona. The Argentina captain said it would be “a very nice memory” for his teammates to retire with another trophy.
Miami faces a demanding final against Vancouver, which eliminated the Florida club from the CONCACAF Champions Cup in April and later added Bayern Munich great Thomas Müller to its squad. “We know it’s going to be a very, very tough game,” Messi said.
While Busquets and Alba prepare to bow out, Messi has given no indication he is ready to retire. The 38‑year‑old expressed enthusiasm about competing in next year’s FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, where Argentina will defend the title it won in Qatar in 2022.
Messi said he has observed a growing football culture in North America, adding that it bodes well for the tournament. “Both I and the people expect something extraordinary,” he said. “This is the most important event in soccer, and I believe they are going to be up to the task.”