Inter Miami has extended Lionel Messi’s contract, which will allow the Argentine superstar to play for the next two years until the end of the 2028 campaign.
The simple caption “He’s Home” appears in a video of Messi signing a contract while he is seated at a table in the middle of the team’s new Freedom Park stadium, which is currently under construction.
In a club statement, Messi, 38, stated, “It makes me really happy to stay here and continue with this project that has also become a dream and has turned into a beautiful reality — playing in this stadium, at Miami Freedom Park.
Messi continued, “I’ve been very happy since I arrived in Miami, so I’m truly glad to keep going here.”
David Beckham, the co-owner of Inter Miami, said Messi’s decision to stay extended was in line with his “commitment to the city, the club, and the game.”
Beckham remarked, “He still wants to win and is still as committed as he has ever been.” We consider ourselves fortunate as owners to have a player who loves the game as much as he does, who has contributed to the game’s advancement as he has, and who can inspire the next generation of young talent as he does.”
The 2025 MLS season’s current contract expires at the end of the World Cup winner’s reign.
After club sources told AFP last month that the franchise had reached an extension agreement, the new agreement had been seen as a formality.
The United States, Canada, and Mexico host the World Cup in 2026, but Messi’s contract guarantees that he will continue competing until the end of that year.
The final will be held at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on July 19 and will begin the tournament on June 11.
After a disappointing time at Paris Saint-Germain, Messi left for Inter Miami in 2023, but his most successful career was spent there from 2004 to 2021. He played for Barcelona as a youth undergrad before joining the Spanish giants.
He won the La Liga title ten times at Barcelona and four times the UEFA Champions League title.
He led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup victory in Qatar, and he wants to try to keep the trophy the following year.
He has won the Copa America twice with Argentina in 2021 and 2024 and has 114 international goals.
MLS goals and background
Although Messi’s potential rival Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal could do the same for him at a sixth World Cup in 2017, which would establish a new all-time record.
The eight-time winner of the Ballon d’Or has 16 career World Cup goals, just three goals short of Miroslav Klose’s.
Argentina comfortably advanced to the finals of the following year, coming in nine points clear of South America.
In what may have been Messi’s final competitive game against Venezuela two weeks ago, he finished with eight goals, including a brace.
Even though Inter Miami did not make the playoffs, he was named the MLS Most Valuable Player in the 2024 season.
He became the fastest player in MLS history to score 40 goals in 2025.
After finishing third in the Eastern Conference this year, Messi has resurrected Miami and placed it in contention for the playoffs.
He won the MLS’s Golden Boot award for his 29 goals in 28 games as he wrapped up Inter Miami’s regular season with a superb hat-trick last Saturday in a 5-2 victory over Nashville SC.
Source: Channels TV
Leave a Reply