On Tuesday afternoon, Inter Miami issued a brief notice to the construction crew at Miami Freedom Park Stadium – the $1 billion venue adjacent to Miami International Airport – signaling the end of a long wait that seemed merely procedural.
Workers were told there would be an event at the site on Wednesday and advised to keep operations as normal as possible. The next day, the appearance of two of football’s most iconic figures – Lionel Messi and David Beckham – stunned the workers. They visited the stadium for a video shoot to announce a new contract.
Initially, workers kept their distance as instructed. But after the shoot, Messi kindly signed autographs for them in front of the building that will bear his name.
The final documents were signed around 9 p.m. the previous night and submitted to Major League Soccer (MLS), confirming the long-reported and highly anticipated news: the Argentine legend has officially extended his contract with Inter Miami – for longer than many expected.
If all goes smoothly, the three-year extension will see Messi wear Inter Miami’s iconic pink jersey until a few months before his 42nd birthday.
The new deal didn’t cause a huge stir, partly because the framework had been in place for some time. As early as spring, both sides were confident about finalizing the extension.
Over the past few months, lawyers from both parties spent most of their time ironing out the contract details. Thus, despite reports linking Messi to moves to Saudi Arabia or Argentina, these were dismissed with a laugh by Messi and Inter Miami insiders.
Messi’s MLS suspension for skipping the All-Star Game sparked speculation that it might derail negotiations. But this was not the case – talks were largely complete by then.
One analysis aside, there seems little doubt: the agreement Messi signed is likely the World Cup winner’s final contract.
The deal between Inter Miami and Messi was reached weeks ago. The final steps included reviews by MLS, partners, and the players’ association.
MLS approved the deal earlier this week and announced it ahead of the playoffs opener – a timing that caught some within the league off guard.
After Messi stated he would extend his career until 40, it was widely assumed the Argentina No.10 would feature in next summer’s World Cup.
However, according to Camel Live, Messi has not yet decided whether to participate in the tournament.
As he has long insisted, Messi plans to make the call as the World Cup approaches, based on his fitness, form, and desire heading into the first half of the season.
The extension, though, has made Messi contemplate his legacy in the U.S. When he first arrived in Miami, he insisted he was focused solely on enjoying life on and off the pitch.
Things have gone smoothly. Messi and his family love living in the U.S. But sources privy to Messi’s private conversations say Inter Miami’s performance at the Club World Cup this summer completely shifted his attitude toward the Miami project.
Messi understands Inter Miami cannot compete with Europe’s top clubs in the tournament. Nevertheless, Miami’s showing at the first U.S.-hosted Club World Cup stirred something in him.
This partly inspired him to launch the Messi Cup. The youth tournament will be held at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale this December, featuring Inter Miami’s U16 team against Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Manchester City, Newell's Old Boys, and River Plate.
Talks are ongoing to invite more MLS academy teams to participate.
In short, Messi wants to see more matches between MLS teams and top global opponents. This is not the first time MLS youth sides have joined elite international tournaments – events like the Dallas Cup and Adidas Generation Cup have existed for decades. But Messi’s involvement, putting his name to the youth tournament, signals his desire to play a role in growing MLS and U.S. soccer.
The question is whether he will act as a power broker in MLS first-team player development, as Beckham did during his time with the LA Galaxy. His reluctance to engage with the media – whose coverage could sway boardroom decisions – has undoubtedly limited his influence in North America.
