Lionel Messi’s Argentina national team retirement would make Jose Mourinho watch MLS games

Jose Mourinho was asked about Lionel Messi‘s retirement from the Argentina national team during his press conference ahead of Real Madrid’s clash with Real Betis on Thursday. The Portuguese coach, who has faced Messi throughout his managerial career across multiple leagues, didn’t hold back when reflecting on what the Argentine’s exit from international football means for the sport.

“Talking about Messi is complicated. There’s not much more to say. And there are no words that can describe his quality as a player. He arrived at this World Cup at 38 or 39 years old and delivered what we all saw. He’s one of those players you’re going to miss,” Mourinho said.

Amid the backdrop of Messi’s retirement from international duty, Mourinho noted that he will now have to watch some of Inter Miami’s MLS games in order to make the most of the Argentine’s remaining years as a professional.

“We’ll have to watch some MLS games, which isn’t something I enjoy much, to make the most of these final years. He’s one of those players who, like I said in a previous press conference, you always miss. And he’s one of the greats of our generation,” he added.

Messi announced his retirement from the Albiceleste on August 31, closing the book on a 21-year international career that included the 2026 World Cup runner-up finish, the 2022 World Cup title, and a string of Copa America triumphs.

With Mourinho now among those admitting he’ll tune into Major League Soccer just to keep watching him, the tribute adds to the wave of recognition Messi has received from rivals and peers across the sport since stepping away from the national team.

How many times Messi and Mourinho faced each other

Beyond Thursday’s comments, Mourinho and Messi built one of the most storied rivalries in modern football from the touchline and the pitch, facing off 25 times across Mourinho’s spells at Real Madrid, Chelsea and Inter Milan. Messi’s teams came out ahead overall, winning 9 of those meetings compared to 7 for Mourinho, with the rest ending level.

The bulk of the rivalry played out during Mourinho’s three years at Real Madrid, where the two met 17 times with Messi present in every single one, with Mourinho winning 5, losing 6 and drawing 6.

Their paths also crossed 4 times while Mourinho managed Inter Milan, and another 4 times during his Chelsea tenure, giving Messi the frequent battles that Mourinho has since credited with pushing him to evolve as a coach.