Messi's fear 'it's all ending' makes him enjoy this Copa América with Argentina even more

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Lionel Messi's smile, like his place among the greatest to ever play soccer, feels almost permanent at this point in his life.

After all, Messi has plenty of reasons to smile these days.

His move to join Inter Miami in Major League Soccer less than a year ago has been a success, along with his business moves off the pitch.

Messi has a new drink, Mas+, ready to debut in the U.S. next week and globally later this summer. He was the hilarious punchline in a "Bad Boys" movie promo with movie stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, and Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler. And if soccer fans aren’t already, they’ll be singing “O-Lays, O-Lays, O-Lays, O-Lays” after his commercials for Lays chips and other companies air all summer long.

Messi remains the face of Argentina’s national team. He’ll be the star attraction in this summer’s Copa América, which begins Thursday in Atlanta.

And he’s open to playing in the next World Cup in 2026 — if his body holds up.

It’s easy to see Messi’s life – once previously haunted by not having a World Cup victory on his legendary résumé – has forever changed since he kissed and lifted the World Cup trophy in Qatar on Dec. 18, 2022.

“It’s like everything changed, but at the same time nothing changed,” an introspective Messi said during an interview with Infobae.com last week. “I feel fulfilled. I achieved everything. I was able to achieve the goals and dreams I had, and being able to say that is very difficult.”

But the end of Messi’s legendary soccer career is near.

Messi knows it, like his family, coaches and teammates, and legion of fans do.

When Messi takes the pitch again wearing Argentina’s white and sky blue this month, it’ll be another chance for him to captivate soccer fans in the United States and around the world – with retirement around the corner.

“We Argentines are too melancholic, and we are already thinking about the day when he is gone while he’s still playing,” Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni said of Messi to Telemundo Sports on Friday. “So, let's enjoy it and we'll see what happens tomorrow. I think the present is so important for the whole world, not only for Argentina, because in the end, Leo plays for everyone who likes soccer.”

Messi’s new challenge, personally, is helping Argentina continue its reign as world champions, after winning the 2021 Copa América and 2022 World Cup.

After Messi and Argentina take center stage in the 8 p.m. ET Copa América opener Thursday against Canada, they’ll play June 25 against Chile at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Then it's on to face Peru at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, June 29. The final is set for July 14 in Miami.

Reigning MLS executive of the year Xavier Asensi, who spent 10 years alongside Messi with FC Barcelona, believes Messi will enjoy this Copa América run in his new home country – especially with all his Argentina heartbreak behind him.

Messi endured so much with Argentina before the World Cup victory: His failed pairing with Diego Maradona as coach at the 2010 World Cup. Losing to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final. Falling to Chile in the 2015 and 2016 Copa América finals, and his abrupt retirement from the national team. Argentina’s exit in the Round of 16 after being defeated by France at the 2018 World Cup. And a semifinal loss to Brazil in the 2019 Copa América.

It all added mounting pressure after his individual and team success with Barcelona during his career.

It's why Asensi vividly remembers Messi, looking toward his family in the stadium after the World Cup win and uttering the words: ¡Ya está!

“For me, he was already the greatest of all time without a shadow of a doubt. But there were some haters, some doubters that might say, ‘No, until he wins the World Cup, you cannot have this label,’” Asensi, Inter Miami’s chief business officer, said of Messi.

“To see him lifting that burden off his shoulders, putting that away saying, ‘that’s it,’ I think that was priceless. You felt for him. He deserved it. I think despite he didn’t need it, he wanted it so desperately because for him, and his country, it was so important. I’m so happy he could achieve that.”

Messi did not need to travel far to join his Argentine teammates for Copa América training this month. The world champions used Inter Miami’s facilities to prepare, and they set up camp in a nearby hotel where Messi joined them for meetings and meals before going home to his family.

Messi, his wife Antonela and their three sons, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro, have adapted well to life in the United States, joined in South Florida by close friends and former Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and their families.

A Leagues Cup title defense and MLS playoff run await Messi and Inter Miami, leaders in the MLS Eastern Conference, after Copa América

“I think that after all those years of a lot of pressure, he decided to go to the U.S. to continue enjoying soccer, but in a much more relaxed way,” said Inter Milan vice president Javier Zanetti, who played with Messi on the national team and will follow Argentina as guest analyst with TelevisaUnivision during Copa América.

“But that doesn't take away from the fact Messi has a sacred fire inside him that will always drive him to compete, and we are going to see it in this Copa América. And then, if he has the desire to continue playing in the next World Cup, he will try because he loves soccer and enjoys playing soccer very much.”

Don’t be surprised if Messi and Argentina reach the Copa América final again. They have lost just four matches in their last 50 games together.

It’s a string of dominance Argentina hopes to continue this summer behind their soft-spoken captain.

Especially since he knows the end of his legendary career is approaching.

“I’ve done this all of my life. I love playing ball. I enjoy the training, the day to day, the games. Yeah, there’s a bit of fear that it’s all ending. It’s always there,” Messi told ESPN Argentina on Wednesday. “It was a difficult step leaving Europe to come here. The fact we won the World Cup helped. It helped a lot, to see things in another way. But I try not to think about [retiring]. I try to enjoy it.

"I do that more now because I’m aware that there’s not a lot of time left.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lionel Messi is happy, ready to lead Argentina again in Copa América