Lionel Messi’s international retirement has produced an unexpected admission from one of his greatest former rivals. José Mourinho says he may have to start watching Major League Soccer to enjoy the final years of the Argentine’s club career.
Mourinho faced Messi repeatedly during his first spell as Real Madrid coach, when the rivalry with Barcelona was among the fiercest in European football. Their relationship was defined by tactical battles and highly charged Clásicos, but the Portuguese coach’s latest comments were marked by admiration rather than rivalry.
Mourinho makes an exception
According to TN’s account of Mourinho’s press conference, the Real Madrid coach acknowledged that Messi’s international career had reached its natural conclusion. However, he made it clear that football would feel poorer without him.
“No words can describe his quality as a player,” Mourinho said. He also admitted that he would have to watch some MLS matches, despite not liking the competition very much, if he wanted to enjoy Messi’s remaining years.
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The remark was delivered with Mourinho’s familiar combination of humour and honesty. It was also a significant compliment from a coach whose Real Madrid side was once constructed partly around finding a way to contain Messi.
Messi still has years left in Miami
Messi has retired only from international football and remains committed to Inter Miami. According to the club’s official contract announcement, his agreement runs until the end of the 2028 MLS season.
There is little evidence that his performances have declined dramatically. In Inter Miami’s 7–1 victory over CF Montréal, Messi scored four times and provided an assist, earning another place in the league’s Team of the Matchday.
As described by Inter Miami, the performance took him to 18 goals in 19 league appearances during the 2026 regular season. It was his ninth Team of the Matchday selection of the campaign.
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An old rivalry becomes admiration
Mourinho described Messi as a player who will always be missed, regardless of how long he continues at club level. The comment reflects how perceptions of their relationship have changed since the confrontational years of Barcelona and Real Madrid.
For Mourinho, the final stage of Messi’s career will unfold in a league he would not ordinarily choose to follow. The Argentine has apparently become the exception.
Messi will no longer appear at a Copa América or World Cup, but Mourinho is not ready to stop watching him completely. That may be one of the more revealing compliments offered since the retirement announcement.
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