MIAMI: Inter Miami captain and Argentine legend Lionel Messi has signed a new contract extension that will keep him at the Major League Soccer (MLS) club until the end of the 2028 season, the team announced on Thursday.
A video posted on Inter Miami’s official X page showed Messi signing the deal while seated at a table inside the club’s soon-to-be-completed Freedom Park Stadium, with the caption: He’s Home.
It makes me really happy to stay here and continue with this project that, besides being a dream, has become a beautiful reality playing in this stadium, at Miami Freedom Park,” Messi, 38, said in a club statement.
“Since I arrived in Miami, I’ve been very happy, so I’m truly glad to keep going here.”
Club co-owner David Beckham praised Messi’s renewed commitment, describing it as a reflection of his passion for both the club and the sport
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 so much to inspire young talent in this country, we feel very lucky.
Messi’s previous contract was due to expire at the end of the 2025 MLS season, but a renewal had long been expected after reports confirmed that both sides had reached an agreement last month.
The new deal means Messi will remain active through the 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and well beyond it.
Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023 following a short, turbulent spell at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Before that, he enjoyed a glittering 17-year career at FC Barcelona, where he won 10 La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League trophies.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner also led Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022, and has since added a second Copa América title in 2024. With 114 international goals, he remains Argentina’s all-time top scorer.
Messi could make history by playing in a sixth World Cup, potentially setting a new record alongside rival Cristiano Ronaldo, and is just three goals shy of Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup scoring record of 16 goals.
Since moving to Miami, Messi has shattered several MLS records — becoming the fastest player to reach 40 goals in league history and earning the 2024 MLS Most Valuable Player Award, despite his team’s playoff exit that year.
In the 2025 season, he guided Inter Miami to a third-place finish in the Eastern Conference, scoring 29 goals in 28 matches to win the Golden Boot, capped by a sensational hat-trick in a 5-2 victory over Nashville SC.
With his contract now secure and the Freedom Park project nearing completion, Messi’s legacy in American soccer looks set to grow even stronger in the coming years.
