Late into his career, Messi's future has always seemingly been up in the air, but he's committed to play through 2028 with this new deal


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Ahead of Inter Miami kicking off the MLS Cup Playoffs against Nashville SC on Friday, good news is on the way. The club has released a video of Lionel Messi signing a contract extension at the home of their new stadium, Miami Freedom Park, which is set to open ahead of the 2026 season. Messi's contract was set to expire at the end of the current MLS season, but both parties were hopeful of coming to an extension. The extension, which as been officially announced, will run through 2028, keeping the Argentine number 10 in pink well after the 2026 World Cup, which will be taking place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The choice of how Miami announced Messi's extension is a significant one. The Argentine has ushered in a new era at the club, turning them into MLS Cup contenders, becoming the leading scorer in club history, and also securing the first trophy in club history. This extension comes at a time when Miami will begin to enter another era, one that will be a transitional one alongside Messi.

The opening of Miami Freedom Park will officially move the Herons into Miami proper, bringing the club to a new level with a fully imagined soccer-specific complex. They've already done an impressive job in recruitment and development in their current stadium with players such as Diego Gomez and Benjaman Cremaschi turning success at Miami into European success, and this complex can help ensure that any success will be sustainable in a world without Messi.

It wouldn't feel right to kick off the opening of a new stadium without Messi, and Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas has ensured that won't happen with the video showcasing just how instrumental Messi has been to everything at the club. It's also fitting that a club created by a quirk in co-owner David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy contract has been thrown into a new era by another global icon.

"It makes me really happy to stay here and to continue with this project that, besides being a dream, has become a beautiful reality — playing in this stadium, at Miami Freedom Park. Since I arrived in Miami, I've been very happy, so I'm truly glad to keep going here.

"We're all really excited about the moment when we can finally play at Miami Freedom Park. We can't wait for it to be finished — to experience it from the inside, in our new home, and for the fans to enjoy it as well. It's going to be something very special to play at home in such a spectacular stadium," said Messi from the new stadium site in a club statement."

Looking ahead
There's still more to be done this season with the playoffs underway. After Miami were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round by Atlanta United last season, they'll now be able to put that behind them if Javier Mascherano can lead the club past Nashville SC.

Messi just completed one of the best MLS regular season campaigns in club history with 29 goals and 19 assists (including secondary assists), showing that he still has plenty to give to the Herons, and this news is quite a boon ahead of their playoff run. With Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets retiring at the end of the season, things will look a little different at the club when Miami Freedom Park opens next campaign, but as long as Messi is on the roster, they'll compete for silverware around the league.

Messi has already won the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 Supporters' Shield with Miami, and he can keep up an annual tradition of winning a trophy with the club if he can lead the Herons to the first MLS Cup title in their history.

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