Lionel Messi has signed a contract extension with Inter Miami that will keep the Argentine superstar in Major League Soccer until the end of the 2028 season, the club announced on Thursday.
Inter Miami confirmed the deal in a post on its official X handle, sharing a video of Messi signing the new contract while seated at a table inside the club’s under-construction Freedom Park stadium, accompanied by the caption: “He’s Home.”
“It makes me really happy to stay here and continue with this project that, besides being a dream, has become a beautiful reality — playing in this stadium, at Miami Freedom Park,” said Messi, 38, in a club statement. “Since I arrived in Miami, I’ve been very happy, so I’m truly glad to keep going here.”
Co-owner David Beckham hailed the extension as proof of Messi’s dedication to the club and to the sport.
“He’s still as committed as he’s ever been and he still wants to win,” Beckham said. “To have a player who loves the game as much as he does — and who has inspired the next generation of young talent in this country — is something we feel very lucky about.”
Messi’s previous deal was due to expire at the end of the 2025 MLS season. Club sources told AFP last month that an agreement on an extension had already been reached, making Thursday’s announcement a formality.
The extension means Messi will remain active well beyond the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tournament begins on June 11, with the final scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
From Barcelona to Miami glory
Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023 after two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, following an illustrious career at Barcelona, where he won 10 La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League trophies between 2004 and 2021.
In 2022, he led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar and has since added another Copa América title in 2024. With 114 international goals, Messi remains Argentina’s all-time top scorer and could feature in his sixth World Cup next year — a potential record that might be matched only by long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
He is also just three goals shy of Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 World Cup goals.
MLS impact
Since joining MLS, Messi has made a huge impact both on and off the pitch. He was named the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2024 despite Inter Miami’s early playoff exit and became the fastest player in MLS history to reach 40 goals.
This season, he led Miami to a third-place finish in the Eastern Conference, scoring 29 goals in 28 matches to win the Golden Boot. He capped the regular season with a hat-trick in a 5–2 win over Nashville SC last Saturday.
With Messi’s new deal secured, Inter Miami’s Freedom Park project — set to open next year — is expected to usher in a new era for the club, with the Argentine icon at its heart.
AFP
