Lionel Messi’s future may now could be in the city that he now calls home.
The 38-year-old is in the final stages of negotiations to extend his contract with Inter Miami, with only minor details left, according to ESPN, an official announcement could come soon.
Messi’s current deal runs through 2025. In two seasons, he has scored 41 goals and provided 27 assists in 46 league games with 54 goals in 62 matches across all competitions.
His arrival delivered the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 Supporters’ Shield, lifting the Herons to heights they had never reached.
Yet, it is life beyond the pitch that may prove just as decisive and after a difficult transition from Barcelona to Paris, Messi found ease in Miami’s Latin culture, familiar food and a community that made his family feel at home.
He recently dined at El Club de la Milanesa, sharing photos of his meal with fans on Instagram.
The Argentine shared photos from his dinner night showing the restaurant exterior and proudly presenting his meal with fries and also added a drooling emoji to the post sharing his delight while dining at de la Milanesa.
Lionel Messi has loved the city since his arrival
Messi has repeatedly explained that his decision to move to MLS was shaped as much by lifestyle as by football and from the start, he stressed how Miami’s culture and people made his transition easier.
“I feel very happy here. I said it at the beginning, it was a place I chose to come to,” Messi said in 2023 [via MLS]
“The welcome I received was impressive. It's a city with many Latinos and that's why everything is easier.”
“Latino people are closer, they show their emotions, they show their feelings,”
“That care, closeness, that's the most important thing. It's very healthy and that helps you to accommodate yourself and to do a good job. … I've been here on vacations, I knew it.
I knew what the city was all about, the people, and I already liked it. Now live it every day here.”