A recent report suggested that Lionel Messi has agreed to extend his contract with Inter Miami, but nothing official has been confirmed. What the club did announce, however, was the extension of another homegrown player
On Thursday, Inter Miami announced that defender Noah Allen has signed through the 2028 MLS season, with a club option for 2029. Allen played an important role in helping Miami capture the Leagues Cup and the Supporters’ Shield, the first two trophies in the club’s history.
As for Messi, the Miami Herald reported that after months of negotiations, the Argentine has agreed to terms on a new multi-year deal. It is expected to be his final contract as a professional and could be announced within the next ten days.
Messi, already Inter Miami’s all-time leading scorer, has recorded 20 goals and 11 assists in MLS this season, and 28 goals with 13 assists across all competitions in 2025—proof that the 38-year-old still has plenty left in the tank.
Lionel Messi celebrates a goal against Seattle Sounders. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Messi’s new contract could include off-field responsibilities
While Messi will ultimately decide when to retire, reports suggest the 2026 season is expected to be his last as a professional player. That is why his new multi-year deal is also believed to include provisions for off-field responsibilities once his playing career is over.
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Inter Miami views Messi as “an absolutely pivotal figure in the expansion of the project,” according to the Miami Herald. The same goes for MLS as a league, which has benefited from his impact on the sporting, economic, and business levels since his arrival.
Back in 2020, Messi himself admitted that he planned to remain at the soccer world after retirement: “I’ll do something related to football, although not as a coach. I don’t see myself as a manager, but I would like to be a sporting director, and then bring in the players I want,” he said at the time. Inter Miami are already laying the groundwork to make that a reality.
