Messi makes power move in Miami and fans are bracing for what’s next | OneFootball

Lionel Messi will be renewing his contract with Inter Miami, and that news, as it comes courtesy of The Athletic, feels too small for all that it contains. There are some who think it's merely another contract extension, a normal, nearly bureaucratic move. But it isn't. If the greatest player in the world — and also the reigning world champion — wants to stay a little longer on American soil, it means the story is far from over. And maybe it has only just started.

The MLS club is eager to have its No. 10 in attendance at the opening of its new stadium, Miami Freedom Park, in 2025. The presence of Messi would be the icing on the cake on the grand project that catapulted Inter Miami from a nearly anonymous club into a giant of promotion, viewership, and aspiration.

The weight of the No. 10 jersey in America

Since his joining MLS in 2023, Messi has transformed Inter Miami. And not just on the field. He made the team a global product, raised the competitiveness of the league, attracted sponsors, and brought U.S. soccer to a different level. The numbers are just a glimpse of that revolution: 42 goals, 21 assists in 48 matches.

Messi came and dominated. In the game against Los Angeles FC, a 3-1 victory, he scored twice and led the team to the semifinals of the Champions Cup. And with it, quietly, he became the club's all-time leading scorer, surpassing at least Gonzalo Higuaín. An achievement that might seem simple to those who witnessed him develop at Barcelona.

The renewal and the Club World Cup

The renewal with Inter Miami takes on greater importance if one looks at the calendar. The team will play in the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025, which will be played in the United States. And the group is anything but light: FC Porto, Al Ahly, and Palmeiras are the route of Javier Mascherano's team.

His appearance at the Club World Cup is a sporting and commercial attraction. And it's the return of the promise to the viewer that accompanied him. American fans want Messi on the field. Argentine fans want another chapter. The world wants to know how far he can take this team that, until now, was merely one more among many in MLS.

And the 2026 World Cup?

Extending the contract may not be an indication, but it's at least a signal. Messi still hasn't committed to the 2026 World Cup. He already won the last one, already topped off his career with what was missing. But playing a World Cup in the United States, where he now lives, with Argentina trying to keep the title is too tempting to turn down.

The logistics are in his favor. Physically, too, at that point. He is still solid, rough, and above all, motivated. Argentina is coming with a profound generation, and if he feels he can make a contribution, it's hard to picture he'd let it get away. The re-signing with Inter Miami may be the missing link between doubt and commitment.