Lionel Messi, MLS’ Inter Miami Reportedly In ‘Advanced’ Talks on Contract Extension

Lionel Messi and MLS club Inter Miami are reportedly progressing toward a contract extension.

According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, talks between the two sides have advanced and they are close to an agreement, which is expected to be finalized soon.

The 37-year-old star, who initially joined Inter Miami in July 2023, would have become a free agent at the end of 2025 in the absence of a new deal.

Messi is widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time, as he boasts a résumé that few can match.

He spent 18 seasons at Barcelona, winning 10 La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles and four UEFA Champions League titles during his highly successful tenure.

Messi then played at Paris Saint-Germain for two seasons before coming to the United States, winning a pair of Ligue 1 titles.

An eight-time winner of the Ballon d’Or Award, Messi is the second-leading goal scorer in major professional soccer history with 858 goals, placing him behind only Cristiano Ronaldo.

Messi has even excelled for his country, leading Argentina to a FIFA World Cup win in 2022, and winning the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball in both 2014 and 2022.

When Messi made the decision to make the leap to Inter Miami, it was a huge deal for American soccer.

Several superstars from European clubs have come to MLS during the twilight of their careers over the years, but none boast the same accomplishments and iconic status as Messi.

Aside from his name recognition, Messi continues to play at a high level as well, scoring 23 goals in 25 matches across all competitions for Miami last season.

While Miami was upset in the first round of the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs by Atlanta United, the team set a single-season MLS record with 74 regular-season points.

So far this season, Inter Miami has the second-most points in the Eastern Conference with 14, and Messi has scored eight goals in nine matches across all competitions as well.

Retaining Messi should allow Inter Miami to remain one of the top teams and a championship contender in MLS, plus having him on the squad for the transition to a new stadium in 2026 will undoubtedly go a long way toward generating interest and selling tickets.