In the midst of the 2025 Major League Soccer season, two of Inter Miami’s biggest stars –Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba– announced their retirement. Now Lionel Messi has spoken about it, particularly reflecting on the decision of the left-back.
“Very strange,” was Messi’s response when asked about the imminent departures of Busquets and Alba during a recent interview with Sport. When the interviewer pressed for more detail, the Argentine forward explained: “The truth is it was very strange, especially Jordi’s situation because we didn’t expect it.”
Messi immediately recalled the moment he learned the news. “Jordi did it from one day to the next… He came to us in the locker room one day and told us he was going to announce that he was retiring without having talked or mentioned it beforehand,” the Argentine star said. “It was from one day to the next for us, and it was even more surprising.”
After recalling that situation, Messi compared it with Sergio Busquets’ decision to end his career after this season and highlighted the differences between the two circumstances. “With Busi, maybe we had been talking about it more and he had already been thinking and saying it,” explained Lionel.
Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF celebrates with Jordi Alba #18 and Sergio Busquets #5.
Messi’s candid response mirrors the widespread reaction to Jordi Alba’s retirement announcement. The biggest surprise came from the fact that the Spanish left-back had signed a contract extension with Inter Miami just a few months earlier, showing how sudden his change of mind was.
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Messi reflects on the retirements of Busquets and Alba
In the same conversation, Lionel Messi spoke about what the imminent retirements of his two Inter Miami teammates mean to him. “It’s a shame because beyond what we enjoy on the pitch, we’re also friends,” he said. “We started this challenge of coming to Miami together.”
The Argentine star also reflected on the increasingly limited time he has left with his friends. “Well, you also see that there’s less and less time and the moment is approaching,” Messi acknowledged. “We’re from the same generation, we did our whole careers together, and being able to share the last few years together has also been very nice.”
Messi’s future with Inter Miami
Adding to the retirements of Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets is the uncertainty surrounding Luis Suarez’s future. The Uruguayan forward is under contract with Inter Miami through the end of this year, and there is still no news of a potential renewal. This is undoubtedly an important topic for Messi, given his friendship with Suarez and that he is the last of his former Barcelona teammates who could stay with him.
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Nevertheless, beyond these speculations, Messi is clear about his own future regardless of his friends. Just a few weeks ago, the Argentine star signed a contract extension with the Herons through December 2028—three more seasons. By the time that contract ends, Leo will be 41 years old.
