Suarez feels Messi will go on to play for years to come.
Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez (R) is congratulated by teammate Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League Group F football match between Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, on October 2, 2019. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP)
In a recent interview, Barcelona star Luis Suarez stated that his teammate and 2019 Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi will go on to play for many years to come and that his comments on retirement were “misunderstood”.
“I’m aware of how old I am. And I enjoy these moments so much because I know that retirement is approaching. Time flies,” the 32-year-old had told reporters at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris.
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“I hope, God willing, that I keep playing for many more years.”
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“I’m now 32, though, and will be 33 at the end of the season, so, as I said, everything depends on how I feel physically,” he added.
However, Suarez has now stated that Messi’s comments have in fact been misunderstood.
“[Lionel Messi] amazes me because he is a one-off and is making history,” Suarez told BeIN Sports in a recent interview.
“As a friend and team-mate, [the Ballon d’Or 2019] makes me happy and proud because it’s a beautiful moment for him,” he added.
“[His comments] were misinterpreted. When someone wins a Ballon d’Or they are happy but also nervous.”
“Leo [Messi] is a human being and gets nervous like the rest of us. He wanted to say he might have to contend with retiring in a couple of years.”
“It was misunderstood, but I’m sure Leo will continue for a long while yet,” he concluded.
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