Miami, October 24 (Udaipur Kiran): Football legend Lionel Messi has officially extended his contract with Inter Miami for another three years, ensuring his stay at the Major League Soccer (MLS) club until 2028. The announcement came just a day before Miami’s playoff opener.
Inter Miami, currently placed third in the Eastern Conference, will host Nashville in the opening game of a three-match playoff series on Friday.
Expressing his happiness, Messi said, “It’s a great joy for me to continue here and keep building this project, which has become a beautiful reality — playing at Miami Freedom Park. Since arriving in Miami, I’ve felt extremely happy and I’m excited to continue this journey.”
The new deal is seen as a landmark moment, not only for Inter Miami but for the entire MLS, as Messi continues to elevate the league’s global profile.
Messi, who was named the MLS Most Valuable Player (MVP) last season, is once again a frontrunner for the award this year. If he wins, he will become only the second player in MLS history to secure the MVP title twice — and the first ever to do so consecutively.
Inter Miami’s head coach Javier Mascherano praised Messi’s influence, saying, “Watching him play and enjoy his football is incredible. He’s a fierce competitor and a true motivator for the team. When we execute our plans well, success naturally follows.”
This season, Messi has scored 29 goals, five more than LAFC’s Denis Bouanga and Nashville’s Sam Surridge, along with 19 assists — totaling 48 goal contributions, just one short of the all-time MLS record (49 by Carlos Vela in 2019).
He also set new records by becoming the first player to score multiple goals in five consecutive matches and recording multi-goal performances in 10 games this season — the most in MLS history.
At 38 years old, this contract is widely expected to be Messi’s final professional deal. The Argentine icon made his senior debut for Barcelona in 2004 at age 17, later guiding Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar 2022, before joining Inter Miami after his stint with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
So far, Messi has scored 71 goals and provided 27 assists in 82 appearances for Inter Miami, playing a pivotal role in helping the club win both the Leagues Cup and the MLS Supporters’ Shield.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
