Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde believes Lionel Messi is beginning to think about retirement plans following his sixth Ballon d’Or win this week. Messi earned the iconic gong after another tremendous year as he pipped Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk and long-term rival Cristiano Ronaldo to the prize.

Axar.az reports citing Express.co.uk that the Argentine did strike fear into his millions of fans soon after winning the award, however, by talking about retirement.

"I'm aware of how old I am," Messi told the media. "And I enjoy these moments so much because I know that retirement is approaching.

“Time flies. I hope, God willing, that I keep playing for many more years.

“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.