"It’s going to be weird to look to the left and not see you there" - Lionel Messi reacts as Inter Miami teammate Jordi Alba announces retirement

Lionel Messi penned a heartfelt message to his longtime friend and teammate Jordi Alba following the Spanish defender’s announcement of his retirement from professional football. Alba’s decision to retire from the game came just 13 days after teammate Sergio Busquets took the same step.

After an illustrious stint together at Barcelona, Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba are currently plying their trade with Inter Miami in the Major League Soccer (MLS). Messi was the first to make the move in July 2023, before Alba joined five days after the Argentine icon's signing was made official.

On Tuesday, October 7, 2025, Jordi Alba took to Instagram to announce that he will hang up his boots at the conclusion of the current season.

“Thank you football, thank you so much,” Alba captioned the post.

Lionel Messi commented on the defender’s post with a heartfelt message.

“Thanks to you, Jordi. I'm going to miss you so much. After so much together, it's going to be weird to look to the left and not see you there... Crazy how much assists you gave me all these years.. Who's gonna give me back passes now???,” Messi wrote.

Messi and Alba have formed a formidable partnership since their time at Barcelona, where Alba assisted Messi countless times down the left flank. To date, the duo has played a total of 413 matches together across Barcelona and Inter Miami. In that period, Alba has assisted Messi 33 times, and they have also combined for 44 goals.

“The opportunity was very attractive” – When Jordi Alba said Lionel Messi influenced his decision to join Inter Miami

Despite having passed their prime, the connection between Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba on the pitch has remained strong, reminiscent of their Barcelona days. Messi’s move to Miami saw three of his Barcelona teammates join him at the Florida-based club.

Speaking to CBS Sports in 2024, Alba revealed that reuniting with Messi was a factor in his decision to join Inter Miami.

"I don't get tired of winning. I want to keep winning, to keep competing. If I didn't have that excitement I wouldn't have come here. I would have stayed in Barcelona, at home, not playing football. The opportunity was very attractive. I also wanted to get back with Leo [Messi] and Busi [Sergio Busquets] and now Luis [Suarez] has also come. So these were the incentives that led me to make that decision," Alba said.

In 68 matches played together at Inter Miami, Messi and Alba have combined for 14 goals.

About the author

Ezekiel is a European football journalist who covers breaking news and transfer rumors at Sportskeeda. He is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Accounting and has a work experience of around 3 years, having previously worked at the likes of Opera News Hub and Extratime Talk. He is a proponent of factual accuracy, meticulous research, verification of sources and journalistic ethics and standards.

An ardent Chelsea fan, Ezekiel's journey as a football fan began in his childhood, witnessing Ronaldinho dazzle with his skills. His interest in the beautiful game deepened after Nigeria were knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup; he was impressed with the Super Eagles' fighting spirit in their 2-2 Group B draw against South Korea. Some other World Cup matches which have left a deep impact on him were Belgium's incredible comeback against Japan in the round of 16 of the 2018 version and the 2022 final.

Lionel Messi is the one true GOAT for Ezekiel and he also follows the Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League owing to him and Cristiano Ronaldo. When not writing, he spends his free time deepening his SEO knowledge and watching skits.

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Edited by Ezekiel Olamide