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<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>All-time great still going strong at 37</li><li>Remains a talisman for club &amp; country</li><li>No date set for hanging up boots</li></ul>

Lionel Messi has ‘earned the right’ to retire whenever he wants – with Sergio Aguero wishing that Inter Miami & Argentina superstar could ‘play forever’

World Cup Qualification CONMEBOL

Argentina

Peru

<p>Aguero, a former international team-mate of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, would love to see his fellow countryman play indefinitely. That is, however, impossible and a day will come when the <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/retirement-date-lionel-messi-argentina-future-julian-alvarez-man-city-forward-world-champions-better-inter-miami-superstar/bltde5a038cb16600f1" target="_blank">South American GOAT hangs up his boots for the final time</a>.</p><div class="affiliate-button-container theme-1" data-name="Apple TV"><div class="affiliate-button"><img class="logo" height="40" width="72" src="https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/bltcc7a7ffd2fbf71f5/blt2de198b67da95a2e/65709d2436cf7d0407034ef9/Apple_TV.png" style="width: 72px; height: 40px;"><span class="affiliate-text">Get the MLS Season Pass today!</span></div><a href="https://tv.apple.com/channel/tvs.sbd.7000?itsct=goal_mls&amp;itscg=30200&amp;at=1010l39UY" class="affiliate-button-link" target="_blank">Stream games now</a></div>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>No indication is being offered as to when that will be, for club or country, with Messi <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/lionel-messi-ends-retirement-league-talk-mls-usmnt-star-inter-miami-rival-tim-parker-change-old-guys-discussion/blt39b42eefdf4616c0" target="_blank">still going strong at 37 years of age</a>. He has claimed Copa America and World Cup crowns with Argentina, while remaining a <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/lionel-messi-mls-mvp-only-clown-disagree-ex-usmnt-star-taylor-twellman-inter-miami-superstar-rewriting-history/blt39d8b7dfad9797ba" target="_blank">talismanic presence for MLS side Inter Miami</a>.</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>Ex-Manchester City and Barcelona striker Aguero has told <a href="https://stake.com/blog/sergio-aguero-2024-25-premier-league-la-liga-domestic-football-predictions-interview" target="_blank"><em>Stake.com</em></a> when asked when Messi could call it quits: “I'll say it as many times as I need to: Leo will get to decide that, and his decision will be just fine by me, whatever it is. I'd love to see him play forever, but that's sadly impossible. He's earned the right to say for how long he'll play for the national team, and how long he'll play professional football for that matter.”</p>

WHAT AGUERO SAID

<p>Messi has taken in over 900 appearances at club level in his record-breaking career, scoring 740 goals, and has also found the target on 109 occasions through 187 outings for Argentina. He is <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/lionel-messi-inter-miami-contract-wages-cristiano-ronaldo/blt11e2d05b108b1895" target="_blank">under contract in Florida through 2025</a>, with there an option in those terms for a <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/lionel-messi-update-2026-world-cup-plans-argentina-inter-miami-united-states-mexico-canada/bltf7e8c8bcdba5ba36" target="_blank">further 12-month extension</a>.</p>

WHAT NEXT?

Lionel Messi has ‘earned the right’ to retire whenever he wants – with Sergio Aguero wishing that Inter Miami & Argentina superstar could ‘play forever’ | Goal.com Ghana

Lionel Messi has “earned the right” to retire whenever he wants, says Sergio Aguero, with it unfortunate that the Argentine cannot “play forever”.

Lionel Messi has ‘earned the right’ to retire whenever he wants – with Sergio Aguero wishing that Inter Miami &amp; Argentina superstar could ‘play forever’