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Messi, Inter Miami agree to extend contract beyond 2026: source

Inter Miami and Lionel Messi have agreed to extend the Argentine star’s contract to remain in Major League Soccer (MLS) beyond the FIFA World Cup 2026, according to a source close to the matter.

The contract extension would ensure that 38-year-old Messi remains active through next year’s FIFA showpiece hosted by the United States of America (USA), Canada, and Mexico.

An official announcement is expected to take place within the next two weeks, said the source contacted by AFP late Wednesday.

Lionel Messi, 38, joined Inter Miami during the 2023 season, and his contract runs through the end of the 2025 campaign.

This season, he ranks second in MLS with 20 goals in 21 league games and is tied for sixth with 11 assists. Last season, he also scored 20 goals (tied for second in the league) and provided 16 assists (tied for third).

In a total of 46 league games for Inter Miami, Messi has recorded 41 goals and 27 assists. Across all competitions, he has scored 54 goals in 62 games.

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An eight-time winner of the Ballon d’Or, awarded to the world player of the year, Messi played for Barcelona from 2004 to 2021 and for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) from 2021 to 2023.

During his career, he was part of 10 league-title-winning teams in Spain and two in France, and he helped Barcelona secure the UEFA Champions League trophy four times.

Upon joining MLS, Messi immediately contributed to Inter Miami’s victory in the 2023 Leagues Cup.

The team also won the 2024 Supporters’ Shield, awarded to the club with the best regular-season record, although they lost in the first round of the playoffs.

As of now, Inter Miami (with a record of 14 wins, 6 losses, and 7 draws for a total of 49 points) is in sixth place in the MLS Eastern Conference, entering a Saturday home match against DC United.

Messi is currently Inter Miami’s leading goal scorer, ranking second in MLS with 20 goals. He is also the club’s all-time leader with 62 goals and 29 assists since joining in 2023.

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Luis Suarez apologizes after Leagues Cup spitting incident

Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez, who spat at a Seattle staff member after the Sounders’ Leagues Cup final triumph on Sunday, apologized in a statement on Instagram on Thursday.

“It was a moment of great tension and frustration, where right after the match things happened that shouldn’t have happened, but that doesn’t justify the reaction I had,” the 38-year-old Uruguayan wrote in an Instagram story.

“I was wrong and I sincerely regret it.”

The Sounders stunned the star-studded Inter side led by eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi 3-0 in the Leagues Cup final at Lumen Field in Seattle.

Immediately after the final whistle, Suarez rushed at 20-year-old Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas and put him in a headlock, sparking a melee involving multiple players and staff from both sides.

Officials scrambled to restore order, but cameras later caught Suarez appearing to spit at a Seattle security staff member as he walked away from Vargas.

“I feel bad about what happened, and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to acknowledge it and apologize to everyone who felt hurt by what I did,” Suarez added.

Speculation has swirled as to what punishment he will face for his conduct in the cross-border tournament co-sanctioned by Major League Soccer and Mexico’s Liga MX.

Luis Suarez spoke optimistically of continuing to help Inter’s push to make the MLS Cup playoffs.

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“We know there’s still a lot of the season ahead, and we’re going to work together to achieve the successes that this club and all of its fans deserve,” he wrote.

Inter Miami posted a statement on X on Thursday condemning the spitting incident involving Suarez.

“These actions do not reflect the values of our sport, and we remain committed to upholding the highest standards of sportsmanship both on and off the pitch.

“We are working closely with Leagues Cup and MLS officials to ensure the situation is addressed appropriately.”

Officials will have plenty to sort through after multiple scuffles broke out, but Suarez’s controversial history places him firmly under scrutiny.

He was infamously kicked out of the 2014 World Cup after being handed a four-month ban for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini.

He has also been sanctioned for biting incidents in club play, and in 2011, he was handed an eight-game ban by authorities in England for allegedly racially abusing Manchester United’s France star Patrice Evra.

He was also one of the villains of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, when his cynical handball on the goal-line denied Ghana what would have been a late winner in the quarter-finals.

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Luis Suarez spits on rival staffer after Leagues Cup final loss

Luis Suarez appeared to spit at a staff member of the opposing team during an ugly brawl following Inter Miami’s 3-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup final on Sunday.

Immediately after the final whistle at Lumen Field, veteran Uruguay striker Suarez rushed at 20-year-old Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas and put him in a headlock, sparking a melee involving multiple players and staff from both sides.

Officials scrambled to restore order, but cameras caught Suarez appearing to spit at a Seattle coach as he walked away from Vargas.

Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said afterwards he was too far away to comment on any specific incidents.

“Nobody likes these kinds of actions at the end of a match, but if there’s a reaction, maybe there was provocation,” he said.

Certainly, there were multiple scuffles before the trophy ceremony finally got underway, with both teams still in attendance.

Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer took the high road, preferring to focus on the strong collective effort from his team in a victory over a Miami side led by Argentine superstar Lionel Messi.

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“Unfortunately, that is going to take some of the attention away from a great performance by the Seattle Sounders,” Schmetzer said of the brawl.

“I guess we can take that as a compliment that Miami’s frustrations led to some things happening on the field that shouldn’t happen on the field.

“I’m going to shut that down because that shouldn’t be the story,” said Schmetzer, who added he had a “quiet moment” with Messi on the field after the game.

But Suarez will be under scrutiny for his role.

The 38-year-old’s reputation as one of the game’s arch villains was cemented when he bit Giorgio Chiellini during the 2014 World Cup.

He has also been sanctioned for biting incidents and racist abuse of an opposing player in club play.

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Seattle Sounders stun Messi’s Inter Miami 3-0 to lift Leagues Cup

The Seattle Sounders stunned Lionel Messi and Inter Miami 3-0 on Sunday to win the Leagues Cup, completing their collection of North American trophies in front of a record crowd at Lumen Field.

Osaze De Rosario scored in the 26th minute, and Alex Roldan added a penalty in the second half before Paul Rothrock capped the scoring for the Sounders, whose determined defence stymied a star-studded Inter lineup led by Argentine icon Messi.

Inter’s frustrations spilled over at the final whistle, and officials had to scramble to quell a brewing brawl before the Sounders, whose $16.7 million payroll is dwarfed by Miami’s $46.8 million player compensation total — could celebrate their first Leagues Cup title.

They became the first Major League Soccer team to win every North American Trophy on offer.

They already own two MLS Cup crowns, an MLS Supporters Shield, four US Open Cups, and a CONCACAF Champions Cup.

The latest triumph came before an announced crowd of 69,314 — shattering the previous record for a Leagues Cup crowd of 50,675.

It was also a record for a Sounders game at Lumen Field, beating the 69,274 they drew for the 2019 MLS Cup final against Toronto.

De Rosario put the Sounders in front in the 26th minute, heading in a cross from Roldan.

De Rosario had electrified the largely green-clad crowd when he came close in the third minute with a header saved by Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari.

It was a frustrating first half for Inter in the face of Seattle’s physical defense, with Obed Vargas a particular thorn in Messi’s side.

Inter’s first opportunity inside the box saw Messi take a quick tumble after tangling with Seattle defender Vargas.

Seattle’s Jackson Ragen blocked Messi’s attempt from outside the area in the 19th minute, then a minute later blocked a shot from Rodrigo De Paul.

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Ragen was there again as Miami came up empty in a chaotic sequence in front of the goal after a corner kick taken by Messi in the 31st minute.

Seattle almost doubled their lead in the 40th, but Jesus Ferreira’s long-range shot caromed off the right post.

A reorganized Miami were pressing early in the second half and appeared to have every chance of pulling off the kind of comeback win they posted over Orlando in the semi-finals.

Luis Suarez spun through traffic to deliver the ball to Messi as he cut in front of the goal, but Messi chipped his attempt over the crossbar.

Inter Miami were finding their rhythm, but they squandered another golden opportunity in the 60th minute when Tadeo Allende, fed by Suarez, missed wide from directly in front of the net.

Miami appeared to have seized the momentum, but Seattle wouldn’t let go.

The Sounders nearly doubled the score in the 69th minute, but Vargas’s right-footed blast from outside the box was blocked by Maximiliano Falcon.

Four minutes later, Rothrock got loose and forced a save from Ustari.

Roldan’s penalty in the 84th minute gave Seattle some breathing room, the referee awarding the penalty after Miami’s Yannik Bright dived at the feet of substitute Georgi Minoungou.

Rothrock put the finishing touches on the win with an angled shot past Ustari in the 89th to spark the Sounders’ celebrations.

Both finalists in the cross-border tournament featuring teams from MLS and Liga-MX clubs were already assured of berths in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup.

The victory earned Seattle direct entry into the round of 16 in the regional tournament, which will decide one of the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup berths.

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Lionel Messi brace propels Inter Miami into Leagues Cup final

Lionel Messi scored twice late on as Inter Miami fought back to beat Orlando City 3-1 and reach the final of the Leagues Cup on Wednesday.

After missing two straight matches with a right thigh injury, Messi converted a penalty in the 77th minute to pull Inter level at 1-1, then combined with Jordi Alba to put the hosts ahead in the 88th.

Telasco Segovia added a third in injury time as Inter Miami returned to the final of the Leagues Cup, the cross-border competition featuring teams from Major League Soccer and Mexico’s Liga-MX.

For the unversed, Inter Milan won it in 2023, Messi’s first season in MLS.

“We are at a loss for words when it comes to discussing Leo (Messi),” said Javier Morales, the Inter assistant coach who was at the helm as Javier Mascherano watched from the stands serving a red card suspension.

“He trained only two or three days, and then he played 90 minutes, and the way he played created situations, scoring goals.”

Messi, who had played once since he was injured on August 2, admitted he felt some trepidation.

“I prepared to be in this match because I knew how important it was, against a very tough opponent who had beaten us in both games we faced this year,” he said.

“The truth is in the first half I felt a little scared, but in the second I loosened up a bit more.”

Miami will travel to Seattle for Sunday’s final after the Sounders beat reigning MLS Cup champions Los Angeles Galaxy 2-0 in California.

Goals from Pedro de la Vega in the seventh minute and Osaze Rosario in the 57th lifted the Sounders, who held on with 10 men after Nouhou Tolo was sent off in the 83rd minute for a sliding tackle on Gabriel Pec.

The finalists are both assured of berths in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup, with the winner of the third-place playoff between Orlando and Los Angeles also punching their ticket to the regional tournament.

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In a high-energy first half in Fort Lauderdale, Croatia’s Marco Pasalic silenced the crowd at Inter’s Chase Stadium with a goal in first-half added time.

Luis Muriel slipped a pass into the area, and Maximiliano Falcon’s attempt to clear it instead saw the ball deflect back to Pasalic, who rifled a left-footed shot into the net.

Inter players appealed, saying the ball hit Pasalic’s arm, but VAR confirmed the goal.

Orlando City, who had twice humbled their cross-state rivals this season, continued to stymie Inter in the second half.

Luis Suarez forced a save from Orlando keeper Pedro Gallese while Messi twice threatened in the area only to find himself swamped in a sea of defenders.

Orlando lost some momentum in the 59th minute when Guatemalan referee Walter Lopez denied them a penalty after Sergio Busquets’ foul on Ivan Angulo.

And the momentum shifted irrevocably Miami’s way in the 74th minute when substitute Tadeo Allende drew a foul in the box.

David Brekalo’s challenge included a tug on Allende’s jersey and earned him a second yellow card.

He departed as Lionel Messi went to the spot, the Argentine great firing past Gallese into the lower right corner of the net.

Eleven minutes later, he sparked joyous celebrations with his second goal.

Orlando coach Oscar Pareja was irked by the second-half officiating, notably the second yellow card for Brekalo, which he insisted “wasn’t a yellow.”

But Morales said it was “clear that the defender grabbed Tadeo,” who the coach said could have scored had he not been held.

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Inter Miami provide update on Lionel Messi ahead of Leagues Cup semis

Inter Miami team management has revealed that the status of Lionel Messi for the Leagues Cup semi-final against Orlando City will be determined on game day, following his practice with teammates on Tuesday.

Inter Miami assistant coach Javier Morales said the Herons will monitor both Messi and Jordi Alba before deciding whether they will be available for Wednesday’s home showdown against Orlando City.

“Jordi and Leo trained with us, they completed training. We’ll see how they feel as the day progresses, and tomorrow we’ll make a decision,” Morales said.

Morales called Messi completing his training workout “super positive” and added, “I imagine he’ll be in the squad at least.”

The Miami-Orlando winner will face the winner of Wednesday’s other semi-final between the reigning MLS champion Los Angeles Galaxy and Seattle Sounders in Sunday’s title game of the event, which included MLS and Mexican league clubs.

Messi, 38, sparked Miami to the 2023 Leagues Cup crown in his early days in South Florida.

But Lionel Messi missed Miami’s quarter-final victory a week ago over Tigres with a “minor” right leg muscle injury and did not play Saturday in Miami’s MLS draw at DC United.

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Alba suffered a knee injury and departed in the second half against Tigres, but both he and Messi handled practice with teammates on Monday and Tuesday.

Lionel Messi last played for the Herons in a reserve role against the Galaxy on August 16, scoring one goal and setting up another in Miami’s triumph.

“Whether Messi is or is not playing, I feel like we’ll have the same mentality — just to go out there and be the best and try and win,” Orlando back Alex Freeman said.

One guaranteed absentee for the Orlando-Miami showdown is Inter head coach Javier Mascherano, who was issued a red card in the Tigres match.

Orlando have won both matches against Inter Miami this season by a combined 7-1 margin, including a 4-1 rout earlier this month.

“We know there’s a different setting prior to this match,” Orlando coach Oscar Pareja said. “But we have the same energy, the same strength, the same desire that has always characterized us in previous derbies.”

Morales said: “It’s probably the most important clasico that we’re going to play so far.”

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Lionel Messi expected to return for Inter Miami against Los Angeles Galaxy

Lionel Messi is ready to return for Inter Miami when they host the Los Angeles Galaxy in a Major League Soccer clash that will launch a key stretch for the Florida club, coach Javier Mascherano said Friday.

Following Saturday’s Galaxy match, Miami plays Mexican club Tigres UANL on Wednesday in the Leagues Cup quarter-finals.

“Leo is doing well,” Mascherano told reporters on Friday before training. “He has been training with the team since Wednesday. Unless something strange happens during today’s training session, we think he’ll be available for tomorrow’s game.”

Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi suffered a “minor muscle injury,” apparently a hamstring strain, in the 11th minute of Inter’s August 2 Leagues Cup match against Necaxa.

The 38-year-old Argentine superstar returns as the Herons vie to bounce back from a humbling 4-1 loss to Orlando City last weekend.

Inter have slipped to sixth in the MLS Eastern Conference with 42 points — nine behind leaders Philadelphia but with three matches in hand.

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Lionel Messi, the reigning MLS Most Valuable Player, leads the Golden Boot race with 18 goals and nine assists in 18 games.

Inter Miami will be favored at home against the Los Angeles Galaxy, who are the defending MLS Cup champions but have sunk to last place with the league’s worst record.

The Galaxy, however, did qualify for the Leagues Cup quarter-finals, and Mascherano cautioned that Miami can’t afford to take them lightly.

“For me, they’re a team in which the MLS standings don’t reflect their quality, especially the quality of their players,” Mascherano said.

“The reality is that maybe they didn’t start the season well because of injuries and different situations. But they’ve improved a lot over the last few months.”

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Lionel Messi to miss Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup match against Pumas UNAM

Inter Miami striker Lionel Messi will miss the crucial Leagues Cup match against Pumas UNAM due to a muscle issue, coach Javier Mascherano said on Tuesday.

The Argentinian striker suffered what Mascherano called a “minor muscle injury” in his upper right leg in Miami’s win over Necaxa last Saturday.

While there is no timetable for Messi’s return, Mascherano was hopeful the star would soon be back on the field.

“Within the bad news, it’s good news,” Mascherano told reporters.

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“He usually recovers very well from injuries and, above all, normally does with speed, so we will see. But clearly, for tomorrow, he is unavailable. But then we will see how he feels, how he progresses.”

Lionel Messi, who has a league-best 18 goals in Major League Soccer (MLS) matches this season, led Miami to the Leagues Cup crown in 2023 shortly after his arrival at the Herons.

Inter Miami likely need a victory over Pumas in their group stage finale to reach the quarter-finals of the Leagues Cup, which features MLS and Mexican league squads.

Should Miami reach the knockout stages, Messi would have two weeks to recover before the quarter-finals. Miami’s next MLS match is set for Sunday against Orlando.

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Lionel Messi exits early with injury in Miami’s Leagues Cup win

Lionel Messi suffered an injury and was removed in the 11th minute of Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup penalty kicks victory over Mexico’s Necaxa on Saturday at Fort Lauderdale’s Chase Stadium.

The 38-year-old Argentine superstar forward appeared to be having treatment on his upper right leg or groin before making his exit under his own power and walking to the locker room.

But after a 5-4 triumph in penalties after a 2-2 draw, Miami coach Javier Mascherano said it would be Sunday before the exact details of the injury and the severity of the setback would be known.

“Well, he felt discomfort, and we will not be able to know until tomorrow how severe the injury is,” Mascherano said after the match.

“There’s probably something there. Maybe not as important, because he was really not in pain. But he did feel a pull.”

Messi took the ball and dribbled into the Necaxa back line, but he stumbled at the top of the box and ran into Necaxa defender Alexis Pena then tumbled to the ground, pounding the pitch in frustration as the ball was cleared away.

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Moments later, Herons’s captain Messi was alone near midfield on the left wing by himself when he went to the ground in a seated position, lying on his back briefly until trainers arrived.

Mascherano elected to send in Federico Redondo to replace Messi.

Inter Miami won 5-4 on penalties after the 10-man teams played to a 2-2 draw after full time.

Argentine striker Tomas Badaloni was denied on the decisive penalty kick in the third round of the shootout while Rodrigo De Paul, Ben Cremaschi, Jordi Alba, Redondo, and Luis Suarez hit penalties for Miami, Uruguayan striker Suarez getting the decider on the last kick.

Inter Miami Venezuelan midfielder Telasco Segovia scored in the 12th minute, but Herons defender Maximiliano Falcon of Uruguay was shown a red card in the 17th minute.

Badaloni netted the equalizer for Necaxa in the 33rd minute to lift the visitors level at half-time, and Necaxa was cut to 10 men as well when Cristian Calderon received a red card in the 60th minute.

Ricardo Monreal, who came off the Necaxa bench in the 74th minute, scored in the 81st to put the Mexican side ahead only for Spain’s Alba to net the equalizer for Miami in the second minute of stoppage time.

During Argentine World Cup qualifiers in March, Messi was nagged by thigh strain issues.

Messi has scored 18 goals and assisted on nine others in 18 MLS appearances this season.

He assisted on both Inter Miami goals in a 2-1 victory over Atlas on Wednesday in their opener in the Leagues Cup, a tournament involving MLS and Mexican League squads.

Miami concludes group stage play in the event on Wednesday against Pumas.

Messi led Inter Miami to the inaugural Leagues Cup crown in 2023 just after his arrival with the MLS club.

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Messi-less Miami held to draw by Cincinnati in MLS

An Inter Miami team missing the suspended Lionel Messi missed the chance to gain ground on Eastern Conference leaders FC Cincinnati after being held to a 0-0 draw in Major League Soccer on Saturday.

Messi and teammate Jordi Alba were both barred from playing the home game against Cincinnati after controversially withdrawing from this week’s MLS All-Star Game in Texas.

That meant Lionel Messi and Alba could only watch on from the sidelines in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday as Inter were frustrated by a well-organised Cincinnati team.

Miami were given a huge let off in the dying seconds of stoppage time, when Cincinnati defender Miles Robinson had a goal ruled out after harshly being adjudged to have fouled Inter’s Noah Allen as he leapt for a header.

The result leaves Miami seven points adrift of Cincinnati in the Eastern Conference standings.

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Miami, meanwhile, used the pre-game festivities to formally unveil new star signing Rodrigo De Paul, Messi’s World Cup-winning Argentina team-mate.

The 31-year-old midfielder, who joins the club from Spain’s Atletico Madrid, is expected to make his debut during Miami’s upcoming Leagues Cup campaign.

“What brings me to Inter Miami is the desire to compete, win titles, to write the pages in the club’s history,” De Paul said after his transfer was announced by the club late Friday.

“It’s a club that is shaping up to be great, to have a long history, so that many people follow this incredible team.”

Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham said De Paul’s signing would bring “experience, passion and quality” to the Herons.

“Rodrigo is a player I’ve admired for many years,” Beckham said. “As a leader, he has brought so much to the teams he has played for — especially with his national team Argentina.

“I’m excited to welcome another World Cup-winning player not just to Inter Miami, but also to MLS.”

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