Lionel Messi’s future takes major new twist

Argentina captain Messi, who is out of contract in December 2025, has recently been linked with a move back to Barcelona.

As Inter Miami embarks on a challenging 2025 season, one of the hot topics surrounding the team is the future of key man Lionel Messi, whose contract ends in December this year. However, there was a major new development on that front on Wednesday.

The one reason why Messi won’t be going back to Barcelona

According to Spanish journalist Guillem Balagué, who is well connected with Barcelona, Messi has no plans to return to his former club as long as Joan Laporta remains president. Reports had previously suggested the 37-year-old had wanted to end his career in Catalonia.

This gives Inter Miami additional hope of being able to convince him to stay in 2026.

Will Messi stay with Inter Miami beyond 2025?

At the start of the season, the captain of The Herons has already registered two goals and two assists in three competitive games in the CONCACAF Champions Cup and MLS. Messi’s form and apparent commitment has Inter Miami fans excited about their prospects of winning both competitions, which is the club’s major goal.

However, it’s still too early to think about a new contract for the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, with both the club and the player having plenty of things to focus their attention on.

Messi, though, will likely be open to discussions with the management led by Jorge Mas and David Beckham as the year progresses. Since the arrival of the Argentine star, the soccer spotlight in North America has been firmly on Inter Miami, something they will surely want to continue.

When is Messi’s next game for Inter Miami?

After their first MLS 2025 game last Saturday, Inter Miami’s next match will be an intriguing visit to the Houston Dynamo in the second game of Apple TV’s “Sunday Night Soccer,” which debuted with LA Galaxy vs. San Diego FC on matchday 1. Now it’s Messi’s turn to appear in one of the primetime slots on March 2.

Subsequently, on Thursday, March 6, Javier Mascherano’s team will play the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup round-of-16 tie against Cavalier SC of Jamaica. Inter Miami will be aiming to secure their spot in the quarterfinals, the round in which they lost to Mexico’s Monterrey last year.