ReutersLionel Messi is approaching his final act.
The 38-year-old football maestro recently acknowledged that retirement is near, admitting he no longer enjoys the game when he’s not fully fit. He bid a tearful farewell to Argentina’s home crowd earlier this month, a night when his brilliance on the field couldn’t quite dispel an inescapable air of nostalgia. He even cast doubt on whether he will play in next year’s World Cup: “Due to age, the most logical thing is that I will not make it,” he said after what was likely his last competitive match on Argentine soil after more than 20 years defending the national jersey.
Still, there is no need to panic just yet: This is Messi managing expectations. He’s only nine months away from becoming the first player to feature in six World Cups. Nine months go by fast, but for a player of his age, physical risks abound. Injuries have piled up and the heavy calendar of his club team Inter Miami this year will surely take a toll on his preparation. He’s right to be cautious. While everything points to his joining the US-Mexico-Canada tournament — not least because organizers FIFA stands to gain many millions from his presence — the end is coming. Sooner rather than later, the great Lionel Messi will belong to football’s past.
That reality — Messi gently preparing his fans, and perhaps himself, for the inevitable — left me thinking that many of his most valuable lessons have come not just from watching his genius with a ball since his 2004 debut for FC Barcelona but also from observing how he has carried himself off the pitch. Here are four lessons worthy of reflection at any management school:
Leadership through self-belief: For years, critics said Messi wasn’t a natural leader; too quiet and reserved, he didn’t fit the typical image of a flamboyant South American captain. But leadership comes in many forms. Messi compensated for his tranquil personality with the ability to be decisive on a football pitch, leading by example. His confidence in his own talent and judgment to make the best decisions was contagious and a key reason why his teammates followed him. Leadership doesn’t need grandstanding — it requires the ability to inspire others.
This was on full display when Argentina suffered one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history, losing its opening match in 2022 to Saudi Arabia. “We didn’t expect to start this way, but trust that this group won’t let you down,” Messi told the distraught Argentine fans. Few believed him. A month later, Argentina was world champion. Talk to me about aura.
Process before results: Few remember it now, but back in 2016 Messi announced his retirement from international football after losing his third final with Argentina in three years: “That’s it, it’s over for me,” he said after another unbearable defeat. The resignation lasted barely two months but at his return, a renovated Messi vowed to keep trying. Five more years passed before he finally lifted his first major trophy with Argentina in 2021. And three more titles followed.
The lesson? In your career, you’ll always get some things wrong. Focus on what you can control, go step by step, and if you do so with passion and dedication, you’ll achieve results. And even if not, you’ll still have the satisfaction of knowing you gave everything along the way.
Stay humble: In an interview last year, Messi said he couldn’t care less about how many goals he scores or creates. That aligns with his historic disdain for individual prizes. Staying humble and remembering that the team’s outcome is always more important than any individual’s is a lesson that applies to any career.
That shouldn’t be confused with a lack of ambition. In sports — as in life — losing is more common than winning. Careers are long; knowing how to be gracious in victory will help you face the inevitable defeats.
Family comes first: Perhaps Messi’s most controversial career decision was ditching a return to Barcelona in 2023 to sign with the rookie MLS side Inter Miami. Many said the move effectively turned him into a pensioner. But for Messi, it was more important to “find joy again, enjoy my family, my children, and everyday life.” Your priorities must be deeply grounded to put personal happiness over professional ambition — but you should never forget to do so.
Some may argue that it’s not a huge sacrifice when you are a multimillionaire who stands to make even more money thanks to big contracts in the US. That’s partially true. Yet sports history is full of greats — from Michael Jordan to Tiger Woods — making terrible decisions. Turning down a billion dollars to play in Saudi Arabia, as Messi reportedly did, because you care more about your family’s lifestyle, isn’t easy for anyone.
Above all, it’s about being thankful: “Everything we experienced was beautiful,” Messi reflected when looking back on his career despite the many stumbles he faced. That’s a takeaway for all of us.
The 38-year-old football maestro recently acknowledged that retirement is near, admitting he no longer enjoys the game when he’s not fully fit. He bid a tearful farewell to Argentina’s home crowd earlier this month, a night when his brilliance on the field couldn’t quite dispel an inescapable air of nostalgia. He even cast doubt on whether he will play in next year’s World Cup: “Due to age, the most logical thing is that I will not make it,” he said after what was likely his last competitive match on Argentine soil after more than 20 years defending the national jersey.
Still, there is no need to panic just yet: This is Messi managing expectations. He’s only nine months away from becoming the first player to feature in six World Cups. Nine months go by fast, but for a player of his age, physical risks abound. Injuries have piled up and the heavy calendar of his club team Inter Miami this year will surely take a toll on his preparation. He’s right to be cautious. While everything points to his joining the US-Mexico-Canada tournament — not least because organizers FIFA stands to gain many millions from his presence — the end is coming. Sooner rather than later, the great Lionel Messi will belong to football’s past.
That reality — Messi gently preparing his fans, and perhaps himself, for the inevitable — left me thinking that many of his most valuable lessons have come not just from watching his genius with a ball since his 2004 debut for FC Barcelona but also from observing how he has carried himself off the pitch. Here are four lessons worthy of reflection at any management school:
Leadership through self-belief: For years, critics said Messi wasn’t a natural leader; too quiet and reserved, he didn’t fit the typical image of a flamboyant South American captain. But leadership comes in many forms. Messi compensated for his tranquil personality with the ability to be decisive on a football pitch, leading by example. His confidence in his own talent and judgment to make the best decisions was contagious and a key reason why his teammates followed him. Leadership doesn’t need grandstanding — it requires the ability to inspire others.
This was on full display when Argentina suffered one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history, losing its opening match in 2022 to Saudi Arabia. “We didn’t expect to start this way, but trust that this group won’t let you down,” Messi told the distraught Argentine fans. Few believed him. A month later, Argentina was world champion. Talk to me about aura.
Process before results: Few remember it now, but back in 2016 Messi announced his retirement from international football after losing his third final with Argentina in three years: “That’s it, it’s over for me,” he said after another unbearable defeat. The resignation lasted barely two months but at his return, a renovated Messi vowed to keep trying. Five more years passed before he finally lifted his first major trophy with Argentina in 2021. And three more titles followed.
The lesson? In your career, you’ll always get some things wrong. Focus on what you can control, go step by step, and if you do so with passion and dedication, you’ll achieve results. And even if not, you’ll still have the satisfaction of knowing you gave everything along the way.
Stay humble: In an interview last year, Messi said he couldn’t care less about how many goals he scores or creates. That aligns with his historic disdain for individual prizes. Staying humble and remembering that the team’s outcome is always more important than any individual’s is a lesson that applies to any career.
That shouldn’t be confused with a lack of ambition. In sports — as in life — losing is more common than winning. Careers are long; knowing how to be gracious in victory will help you face the inevitable defeats.
Family comes first: Perhaps Messi’s most controversial career decision was ditching a return to Barcelona in 2023 to sign with the rookie MLS side Inter Miami. Many said the move effectively turned him into a pensioner. But for Messi, it was more important to “find joy again, enjoy my family, my children, and everyday life.” Your priorities must be deeply grounded to put personal happiness over professional ambition — but you should never forget to do so.
Some may argue that it’s not a huge sacrifice when you are a multimillionaire who stands to make even more money thanks to big contracts in the US. That’s partially true. Yet sports history is full of greats — from Michael Jordan to Tiger Woods — making terrible decisions. Turning down a billion dollars to play in Saudi Arabia, as Messi reportedly did, because you care more about your family’s lifestyle, isn’t easy for anyone.
Above all, it’s about being thankful: “Everything we experienced was beautiful,” Messi reflected when looking back on his career despite the many stumbles he faced. That’s a takeaway for all of us.
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