Luis Suárez revealed that he regularly talks with his friend Lionel Messi about retiring together.
Their friendship began at Barcelona and has grown stronger over the years. Although their paths once diverged, the bond between them remained. Today, they are reunited at the same club, and Suárez wants to finish their careers together. He said he often discusses retirement plans with Messi.
Suárez joined Barcelona from Liverpool in 2014 and found Messi not just as a teammate but as a close friend. During their six years at the Catalan club, their families also became close. In September 2020, Suárez had to leave Barcelona, a departure he has never hidden his feelings about. Despite leaving, his friendship with Messi endured.
It was largely Messi’s influence that brought Suárez to Inter Miami last year. Now, in the twilight of their careers, they are happily playing together at the same club.
Their contracts run through the end of this Major League Soccer season, and their future beyond that is still uncertain. Suárez said on Tuesday that he hopes to retire alongside Messi.
“At this stage of our careers, I think we’re both old enough. Keeping our well-being in mind, each of us will make the best decision for ourselves,” he said.
“For me, I’m not making any decisions right now. But I can say that if I could retire alongside him, it would feel really good. We’ve been talking about it for many years, and it’s possible it could happen.”
However, the 38-year-old forward did not guarantee that they would retire together.
“That could happen, or it might not. A lot depends on his contract renewal, my contract, and many other factors. We both want to make the right decision at the right time.”
Discussions about extending Messi’s contract at Miami have been reported several times, but no decision has been made. Details about Suárez’s new contract are also unknown.
For now, Suárez is focused on enjoying the present rather than worrying about retirement or uncertainty ahead.
“The truth is, I’m happy—very happy. I feel good personally. I feel like I’m helping the team, and if the club wants, I don’t see any obstacles because nothing here is holding us back. We’re at a place where Inter Miami is developing wonderfully, bringing in good players, and the league itself is growing.”
“When it comes to decisions about the future until the end of the season… who knows what will happen? In football, everyone has plans, sometimes they go well, sometimes not. The important thing is how I feel right now. I’m at Inter Miami, I’m happy, and we’ll see what comes next.”
