Jose Mourinho discusses monitoring Lionel Messi in Major League Soccer

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho noted he will watch Major League Soccer games to continue observing Lionel Messi. This shift follows the Argentina captain's announcement on August 31 that he is retiring from international play. Messi, who plays for Inter Miami, earned consecutive league MVP honors in 2024 and 2025 and led the team to an MLS Cup title last year. While Mourinho expressed a general lack of interest in the league, he identified Messi’s remaining professional seasons as the primary reason to follow the competition. The Argentina captain recently led his national team to the World Cup final, which ended in a 1-0 loss to Spain. Mourinho, who previously coached against Messi during his time with Barcelona, confirmed he intends to track the forward’s final club appearances.

• 2:44 PMYahoo Sports — Jose Mourinho takes dig at MLS discussing Messi's Argentina retirement