Messi's New Chapter: The Trophies Left to Win With Inter Miami

Lionel Messi closed the Argentina chapter of his career with a 3-0 farewell win over Benin, and everything he does from here on belongs to Inter Miami. Signed through the end of the 2028 MLS season, the 39-year-old still has two major trophies left to conquer in Florida.

The Argentina chapter is closed

Oct 6, 2026, belonged to Lionel Messi. On his 208th night in an Argentina shirt, the captain scored once and set up two more in a 3-0 win over Benin at a packed Estadio Mas Monumental, then delivered an emotional farewell speech that left the stadium in tears. His goodbye was every bit the celebration his two decades with the Albiceleste demanded.

But by the following morning, the page had turned. No more World Cup qualifying windows. No more Copa America cycles. For the first time in over twenty years, Messi's entire competitive life is a club season in Major League Soccer. Pasion Futbol described it as a new chapter, and it is one with a clear mission: finish the job in Miami by winning everything that is still missing.

Contracted in Miami through 2028

Messi's Inter Miami deal runs through the end of the 2028 MLS season. Multiple outlets reported that the Argentine signed the extension in late 2025, with MLS itself approving all the formal steps. At the time of the announcement, Messi said he was happy to continue with the project and excited about the club's new stadium at Miami Freedom Park.

Speculation about an earlier exit has not gone away. Some reports have suggested the 39-year-old could weigh retiring from football entirely at the end of 2026, but neither Messi nor Inter Miami has put a date on the end of his club career. Pasion Futbol noted that the organization is deliberately avoiding any predetermined retirement timeline, designing its strategy around Messi's own physical condition and motivation rather than a deadline.

Four trophies in four seasons

Whatever happens next, Messi's Miami era is already the most successful stretch in club history. Inter Miami had never won anything before he arrived in July 2023. Since then, the Herons have lifted a trophy in every single season: the Leagues Cup in 2023, the Supporters' Shield in 2024, the MLS Cup in 2025, and the Campeones Cup in 2026.

The 2025 MLS Cup crown was historic. Miami beat Vancouver 3-1 in the final, per reports, sealing the club's first playoff championship with Messi as the leading scorer in franchise history. He had already become Inter Miami's all-time leading scorer and assists leader long before that night.

Those four club titles have pushed Messi's career trophy haul to 48, an all-time record that stands well clear of the chasing pack. After the Campeones Cup triumph over Cruz Azul in September, reports put his nearest active rival, Marquinhos, on 44. The Argentine has won a trophy in every season since joining Miami, a run no other star in MLS history can match.

The Campeones Cup as a springboard

September 16, 2026, felt like a preview of the new chapter. Inter Miami beat Mexican champions Cruz Azul 2-0 on a rainy night at Nu Stadium to win the Campeones Cup, with Messi directly involved in both goals. In the 24th minute, he rose to head home a Luis Suarez cross, reaching the landmark of 100 goals in 115 appearances for the club. In the 81st minute, his corner was headed in by Casemiro to seal the win.

The milestone came against the same club Messi scored his first Inter Miami goal against, a stoppage-time free kick on his debut in July 2023. Sportsnet reported that the 100-goal landmark arrived faster than his century at Barcelona or with Argentina. ESPN added that Inter Miami became the first MLS side to lift the Campeones Cup since New York City FC in 2022, ending three straight editions won by Mexican clubs.

What is still missing

For all that silverware, two competitions remain unconquered in Miami. The CONCACAF Champions Cup, the region's premier club tournament, has eluded the Herons since their debut in the competition. Inter Miami have played in the Champions Cup before, but the continental crown has never gone to South Florida. Winning it would also hand the club a pathway to the FIFA Club World Cup, the one global stage the Messi era has only visited as a guest.

The U.S. Open Cup, the historic American knockout tournament, is the other gap in the cabinet. Pasion Futbol listed it among the major trophies still available to Messi before his contract expires. Between those two and the titles Miami can defend — the MLS Cup, the Supporters' Shield and another Leagues Cup run — the Argentine has no shortage of motivation without a World Cup cycle to aim at.

Miami's plan for the post-Messi future

Inter Miami is already thinking beyond its captain. Pasion Futbol reported that the club has a project taking shape for life after Messi, with the stated aim of signing star players, developing younger talent and keeping the team competitive after the No. 10 eventually moves on. Co-owner Jorge Mas has made clear that the objective stays the same with or without him.

Messi's future may remain tied to the club off the pitch as well. Reports have long noted that his original MLS package included an option to acquire an equity stake in Inter Miami after his playing career ends, and the club's so-called 2030 plan reportedly envisions him becoming part of the shareholder structure. Under current MLS regulations, an active player cannot hold an ownership stake, so any such move would have to wait until he hangs up his boots.

A lighter calendar, one last mountain

International retirement changes Messi's footballing life in a practical way too. Without Argentina duty, his calendar now revolves entirely around Inter Miami. No long-haul flights for qualifiers, no tournament summers, and rest during international breaks — a schedule that could extend his effectiveness at 39 and beyond.

At 39, Messi keeps rewriting the timeline of what is possible. He remains the favorite in the MLS MVP race, on pace for a historic third straight award, and his 2026 season has already produced another century of goals for his club. The trophies he still needs — a continental crown and an Open Cup — would turn the Miami project from a golden era into a complete dynasty.

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