He left behind an incredible legacy, scoring 672 goals and providing 303 assists in 778 matches. After leaving La Liga, Paris Saint-Germain won the race to sign the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner. However, Messi faced difficulties adapting to life in Paris, despite winning two Ligue 1 titles.
As a result, he chose not to extend his stay with PSG and decided to try his hand in MLS with Inter Miami, owned by David Beckham. Messi turned down a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia to join the Florida-based franchise, even though there were speculations about his return to Barcelona. His contract with Inter Miami is valid until December 31, 2025, at which point he will be 38 years old. Nonetheless, there has been talk of Messi leaving Inter Miami sooner.
While a return to his childhood club, Newell's Old Boys in Argentina, has been discussed, Spanish outlet Sport suggests that a temporary return to Barcelona in 2024 is not entirely impossible.
Inter Miami currently holds the Leagues Cup title, but they are second from the bottom in the MLS Eastern Conference standings with only a few weeks left in the regular season. They have 33 points with three games remaining, and there is still a chance they could reach the eighth or ninth spot, which would grant them a spot in the wildcard round of the playoffs.
However, Inter Miami's chances of making a late surge in the table are slim. After October 21, Messi would have no competitive club football for several months until the start of the 2024 MLS season. Barcelona is reportedly monitoring the MLS playoff situation in the hopes of bringing Messi back during the winter transfer window. However, Inter Miami has strongly denied the possibility of such a move.
Jorge Mas, the club's managing owner, is said to have promised Messi the opportunity to return to Camp Nou for a testimonial or a similar tribute, but discussions about a loan or permanent transfer have not taken place.
Since joining the United States in the summer, Messi has scored 11 goals in just 12 appearances for Inter Miami and has contributed five assists in various competitions. However, the 36-year-old has missed five of the last six MLS matches due to a muscular injury, with hopes of his return against FC Cincinnati on Saturday.
