Messi before his sixth World Cup: Does the superstar stay in Miami?

Messi before his sixth World Cup: Does the superstar stay in Miami?

Miami, USA - Lionel Messi is about to his 38th birthday and continues to make headlines, especially with regard to the upcoming 2026 World Cup in North America. Argentina, defending champion, will take part in the tournament next year, but it is unclear whether Messi will be part of the party. If he continues on his career, he will be 39 years old in the course of the tournament. The star player reported that he was open to his participation and does not want to put himself under pressure. He plans to evaluate his physical condition every day to decide whether he is ready for his sixth World Cup.

Last season, Messi Inter Miami led to first place in the Major League Soccer (MLS) with 20 goals and 10 templates in the Eastern Conference. Despite these successes, the team left the playoffs early on, but the new season started promising for Messi, with five goal participations in the first five games.

contract extension in the prospect

Messi's contract with Inter Miami expires in December 2025, but according to media reports, a contract extension is sought from both sides. The 37-year-old announced that he would like to stay fit in Miami, where he plays with former teammates like Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets. According to reports, negotiations on the contract extension have already been "far advanced", but not all details have yet been clarified.

Jorge Mas, the owner of Inter Miami, expressed hope to see Messi 2026 in the new Miami Freedom Park stadium, which is part of a larger project with 131 hectares. This stadium is opened for the 2026 season with 25,000 places. A public park as well as entertainment and catering facilities will also include. Messi could present the first MLS title in the club's history there after he has already won the Leagues Cup and the Supporters' Shield.

financial aspects and sporting success

Messi's contract is the most lucrative in the history of the MLS. The basic salary is $ 12 million annually, with a guaranteed total remuneration of $ 20,446,667. This salary clearly exceeds the salary lists of most other MLS teams and is over 5 million USD higher than that of the second-best player. In addition, Messi received a signing bonus and will receive shares in the club, which increases the total value of his contract to around 150 million USD.

The income from Inter Miami has risen on a bitch since Messi. In 2024 Messi earned an additional $ 79 million through partnerships with Adidas, Hard Rock International and Apple TV. The club's revenue rose from $ 50-60 million in 2022 to over $ 200 million in 2024, while the club's value rose by 72% to USD 1.03 billion. Messi's influence also helped the MLS on record numbers for attendance, sponsoring and digital media in 2024.

The upcoming months could be decisive for Messi and the football world, since the legendary player is preparing for his possible sixth World Cup and his future with Inter Miami.

collected information comes from OE24, Kicker and onefootball.