After a spectacular regular phase and the surprising early elimination in the 2024 MLS playoffs, Inter Miami He began this Wednesday with the medical checkups prior to the start of the preseason. On the premises of The Herons in the state of Florida was present Lionel Messiwhich will have a special year because it will be directed by his former partner and friend Javier Mascherano.
After an extensive two-month vacation, after that November FIFA date, the Argentine star appeared at his team’s facilities to formally start 2025. Although Messi’s plans are clear for the remainder of the year, Inter Miami’s management team wants to carry out an ambitious and surprising idea with the player from Rosario as the protagonist.
The season that is about to begin in the United States is going to be full of commitments for the pink cast. With the goal of conquering Major League Soccer for the first time in its history and the brand new Club World Cup that takes place in June, Inter Miami’s calendar will have a lot of action. However, the owners aim high and think much further.
Lionel Messi has a current relationship with The Herons until December 31, 2025, but the dream of all of Miami is that it does not end on that date. Therefore, after the preseason friendly tour, David Beckham and company They are going to propose an extension of the contract until the end of next yearwhich includes a significant salary increase.
Of course, the giant country of North America will also be the main venue for the 2026 World Cup. Although he never guaranteed his participation with the Scaloneta, Leo will try to arrive in the best possible way, both physically and football-wise, and what better way to do it than in the city where there will be one of the selected stadiums, at least that’s how they think in Miami. For this reason, the leadership is very positive about the proposal.
In addition to defending the long-awaited title won by the Argentine National Team in Qatar 2022, Messi plans to play his sixth World Cup and become the man of record, once again. The fact is that no footballer in history has been present in six different World Cups, as the Rosario player would achieve in the United States if everything goes according to plan.
The only one who could prevent him from the exclusivity of the tremendous brand is the same rival of his entire career: Cristiano Ronaldo. Both stars who marked a before and after in the history of sports and kept practically all the records, could keep one more. The two were present at Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.
Lionel Messi upon winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with the Argentine National Team. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)After his time at Paris Saint Germain almost forced after the chaotic and unexpected departure from Barcelona, the world champion arrived in American soccer to wear the Inter Miami shirt. With The Herons accumulate 34 goals and 18 assists in 39 gameswhere he also won the Leagues Cup and the MLS Supporters’ Shield for being the best in the regular season.
As if that were not enough, the plan has one more detail. The thing is Inter Miami wants Lionel Messi to be the face of the new stadium which is under construction and will be inaugurated in early 2026, as expected. The Miami Freedom Park will be a super establishment with different areas that go far beyond sports, because it even includes offices, shops, hotels and restaurants.