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The greatest footballer of all time has achieved everything there is to win, and by the time the next World Cup arrives, he will be 42 years old.

When a player reaches the age of 39 and the twilight of his career begins to loom, it’s natural to wonder if the passion that once fuelled every match is still there.

This is the question Lionel Messi will be reflecting on during the final week of the World Cup — regardless of whether Argentina manage to retain their title or not.

Be it a desire to step away at the peak of his success or simply the feeling that he has nothing more to accomplish, the key question remains: will Messi choose to retire after this World Cup?

However, the decision might not be based solely on footballing factors.

According to Forbes, Messi ranks as the third highest-paid athlete in the world. While only a portion of that income comes from his playing contract with Inter Miami, his value as an active player clearly surpasses what it might be post-retirement.

There’s also an element of long-term planning involved. Messi’s earlier contract with Inter Miami was due to expire at the end of 2025, but he opted to sign a new three-year extension to continue his stay.

This renewed deal will keep him at the club until he turns 41, which strongly suggests, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, that he intends to keep playing beyond the World Cup.

Still, that scenario could be influenced by the specific details of his agreement, which reportedly includes a few unusual clauses.

When Messi joined Inter Miami, it was reported that he would receive a share of revenue generated through Major League Soccer’s media partner, Apple.

Significantly, Messi is also said to be set for an ownership stake in the club upon retirement, as per the original terms of his move.

However, the finer details of that arrangement remain unclear, including whether the 2025 extension altered any part of it.

It has not been confirmed what percentage of ownership Messi would receive, whether it would be granted automatically or as an optional opportunity, if he would need to pay for it, or if retiring early could impact his eligibility for the stake.

For the time being, only Messi himself appears to know what his future plans are — and even those could change as time goes on.