Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has hinted at what Lionel Messi could do when the Inter Miami captain retires from soccer.
The 37-year-old attacker has left multiple hints in recent weeks surrounding his future, with Messi admitting last night that he is trying to savior his ‘final battles’ in an Argentina shirt, after progressing to the Copa America final.
With Messi revealing that Inter Miami is likely to be the final club of his career, there’s a real chance that the reigning Ballon d’Or holder could hang up his boots in the next 18 months, when his contract with the Herons expires.
And Argentina manager Scaloni has suggested what Messi could do once he hangs up his boots.
Scaloni offers to help Messi in becoming a coach once he retires
Speaking to the press after last night’s win, Scaloni mentioned that he would welcome Messi back to the Argentina national team as a coach if that’s what the Inter Miami star wanted to do when he retired.
Messi, as well as the likes of Angel Di Maria, are at that stage in their careers where they are now starting to think of what to do post-playing, and Scaloni has issued an arm to his two star attackers to join him on the coaching team in the coming years.
Scalomi said on the future of Di Maria: “You know how I think, we wait and see how he plays [Angel Di Maria]. We won’t retire him early before the game, then the tears will start and everyone, his family, will get melancholic. We’ll see later if we convince him or not convince him, but for now, we let him play.
“It’s the same case for Messi. We leave them calm from our part; we won’t be the ones to close the door on them. He can be with us until he wants, and even after he retires, he can join me if I’m still coach. And if not, I’ll take him where I go. He would be a great help.”
Messi could be open to coaching role with Argentina
Messi not playing soccer is a world nobody wants to think about, but that reality is soon about to become real when the forward calls time on his legendary career in the next two to three years.
And whilst coaching might not be the first thing fans will think of when it comes to what Messi will do after playing, a role with Argentina could suit the Inter Miami star given his pure love for the game.
Some of the best players to ever step foot on a pitch have enjoyed fantastic careers on the touchline as a coach, and Messi could be next to join that long list of names with Argentina.