Inter Miami, from the United States, announced this Thursday (23) the renewal of Lionel Messi’s contract. The 38-year-old Argentine star agreed to remain in the MLS (Major League Soccer, the North American football league) team until 2028.
Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, the player had already stated that Inter Miami would be his last club. Now, he signs a commitment to take his career well beyond the 2026 World Cup, as was once considered.
“Our vision was to bring the best players to Inter Miami and to this city. That’s exactly what we did,” said former player David Beckham, one of the team’s owners, when celebrating the agreement with Messi. “He’s still as committed as he’s ever been and he still wants to win.”
Champion of the 2022 World Cup with the Argentine national team, Lionel was the top scorer in the current MLS qualifying phase, with 29 goals. The team advanced to the knockout stages in third place in the Eastern Conference and will face Nashville SC this Friday (24).
Messi sparked new global interest in the North American league when he signed for the first time with Inter Miami in 2023. The team’s valuation has doubled since then, according to Forbes, reaching US$1.2 billion (R$6.4 billion).
“When Lionel Messi made MLS his choice, it marked a turning point – not just for Inter Miami, but for our entire sport in North America,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber.
“Since then, we have witnessed something truly historic: the greatest player of all time bringing global attention to our league.”
