Lionel Messi has signed a new contract 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.
Gatekeepers News reports that in a video shared on Inter Miami’s official X page, Messi was seen signing his 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 to continue with this project that, besides being a dream, has become a beautiful reality — playing in this stadium, at Miami Freedom Park,” Messi said in a statement released by the club.
“Since I arrived in Miami, I’ve been very happy, so I’m truly glad to keep going here.”
The 38-year-old’s previous contract was due to expire at the end of the 2025 MLS season, but the extension ensures he will remain in competitive action through and beyond the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Club co-owner David Beckham praised Messi’s commitment and impact on the sport in the United States.
“He’s still as committed as he’s ever been and he still wants to win,” Beckham said. “As owners, to have a player that loves the game as much as he does, and who has done as much for the game in this country and to inspire the next generation of young talent as he has, we feel very lucky.”
The new deal had been expected after club sources confirmed last month that an agreement in principle had been reached.
Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023 following a difficult spell at Paris Saint-Germain. The majority of his glittering career, however, was spent at Barcelona, where he rose through the ranks from 2004 to 2021, winning 10 La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League trophies.
On the international stage, Messi guided Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022 and to back-to-back Copa América triumphs in 2021 and 2024. He has scored 114 international goals and could feature in a record sixth World Cup next year — a feat that might be matched only by long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is just three goals shy of Miroslav Klose’s all-time record of 16 World Cup goals.
Domestically, Messi’s form in MLS has been electric. He was named Most Valuable Player in 2024 and became the fastest player to reach 40 goals in league history the following year. This season, he led Miami to a third-place finish in the Eastern Conference, claiming the Golden Boot with 29 goals in 28 matches, capped by a hat-trick in a 5–2 win over Nashville SC last weekend.
