Lionel Messi will continue playing for Inter Miami despite having decided to end his time with the Argentine National Team. The Rosario native enters this new chapter after scoring four goals in the 7-1 rout of CF Montréal, while his contract with the American club extends until the end of 2028.
His performance against CF Montréal confirmed that Messi maintains a decisive level of performance at 39 years old. He scored four goals in Matchday 22 of the MLS, two of them from free kicks, a feat he hadn’t achieved since November 9, 2019, when Barcelona defeated Celta Vigo 4-1. The forward reached 18 goals this season and remains the league’s top scorer.
Lionel Messi is also four goals shy of the all-time record for free-kick goals, currently held by Roberto Dinamite with 73. This record includes goals scored directly from free kicks in official matches and places the Argentine ahead of other specialists such as Juninho Pernambucano, Marcos Assunção, Siniša Mihajlović, Jorge Aravena, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The contract with Inter Miami, which runs until the end of 2028, does not guarantee that Messi will play until then. The Rosario native will have the final say on when to end his professional career, a decision that does not depend solely on the signed contract. If he retires earlier, the club plans to keep him connected to the institution through an institutional role and participation in its structure or as a shareholder.
This year, Lionel Messi acquired UD Cornellà, a club that competes in the Tercera Federación of Catalonia, the fifth tier of Spanish football. The goal is to be involved in its sporting and institutional growth and to begin a new chapter related to management. The Leones FC family project and his connection with Luis Suárez through LSM, which has a presence in Uruguay, complete his initiatives within football.
Recent images showed Messi with his sons Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro wearing Cornellà jerseys. The club posted: “Leo Messi and his family are ready for the start of the season. From Cornellà to the world, more and more of us are wearing green like Leo and eager to begin our great challenge.” The club will begin its campaign on Sunday, September 6, against Atlètic Lleida, for the first matchday of the Spanish fifth division.
Messi has accumulated 48 titles, a world record not counting individual awards, and still has sporting goals ahead. The 2026 MLS Cup is the immediate challenge with Inter Miami, while the 2028 Concacaf Champions League remains a pending competition for the club. In October 2026, he could receive his ninth Ballon d’Or and is scheduled to receive the Prince of Asturias Award in Oviedo.
The 2027 schedule includes a shortened MLS season until June, due to changes in the American soccer calendar, followed by the 2027-28 MLS season. Off the field, Lionel Messi also has business ventures as the face of various brands, and owns a winery and an energy drink company. The player will likely settle in Catalonia after retiring, as he still owns a house in Castelldefels.
