Lionel Messi is making Inter Miami the last stop in his illustrious career.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner discussed his future plans as he prepared to play for Argentina in the Copa América, which runs from June 20 to July 14, bringing together 16 participating nations—10 from South America and six qualifiers from the Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football.
Messi is regarded as one of the best players in the history of soccer.
He had almost immediate success when he entered the international sport as a teenager.
Messi, who was born in Rosario, Argentina, joined powerhouse FC Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masia, at age 13 and made his competitive debut at age 17. From there, his professional career took off and he became increasingly famous. With Messi in the lineup, Barcelona won 10 La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey championships, and four UEFA Champions League trophies.
He is also considered a national hero, after leading Argentina to the Copa América championship in 2021 and the FIFA World Cup title in 2022. At the World Cup, he scored seven goals, including two in the final against France, and broke the record for most games played at the prestigious tournament, with 26.
After a brief stint at French club Paris Saint-Germain from 2021 to 2023, Messi moved to Miami with much fanfare and a contract worth just over $20.4 million a year. He also secured profit-sharing deals with Apple TV, MLS’s primary global broadcast partner, and sports apparel company Adidas.
The move has paid dividends for MLS, which continues to attract more star power by bringing some of the world’s best international players to the league.
Messi made an immediate impact with Inter Miami on the pitch, leading the club to the MLS-Liga MX Leagues Cup tournament championship—the first title since the franchise played its first game in 2020.
In Messi’s debut 2023 season, a record 10.9 million fans attended games throughout the league. The average attendance was 22,111, a 5 percent increase from 2022.
Earlier this season, 65,612 fans filled Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, to watch Messi and Inter Miami take on the New England Revolution. That capacity crowd broke a New England Revolution attendance record, surpassing the 2002 MLS Cup title clash between the club and the L.A. Galaxy, which drew 61,316 fans.
When Messi signed with Inter Miami in 2023, sponsorship for MLS teams rose to a record-breaking $587 million, a 15 percent increase from the previous year. Miami expects more than $200 million in 2024—Messi’s first full season in MLS.
Messi is a global brand, having won a record eight Ballon d'Or awards, given to the world’s best player over the previous season, and six European Golden Shoes, given each season to the leading goal scorer in league matches from the top division of Europe’s professional leagues.
Although he is just 5-foot-7-inches tall and 148 pounds, Messi is strong, fast, and well-balanced, consistently keeping opponents on their heels. He is naturally left-footed and is known for maintaining precise control of the ball as he dribbles around defenders.
Messi was named the MLS Player of the Month for April with six goals and four assists in four games. On May 4, Messi had an MLS-record six-point performance (one goal and five assists) in Miami’s 6–2 victory over New York Red Bulls.
Messi said he’s at peace as his career winds down.
He accomplished perhaps his greatest goal in 2022, when he led Argentina to victory in the World Cup final against France.
Winning the Copa América title would be another huge accolade for Messi, but he is not feeling any pressure, especially after his country’s performance in the last World Cup.
“But I try not to think about it. I try to enjoy it. I do that more now because I’m aware that there’s not a lot of time left. So, I have a good time with the club, being lucky having good teammates and friends at my side. I enjoy my time with the national team, where I also have good friends, too, and a lot. I enjoy those small details that I know I’ll miss when I stop playing.”
