Miami owner Mas wants Messi to retire with club

Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas told ESPN Monday that negotiations with Lionel Messi implicit a caller declaration hold stay ongoing, but said he's optimistic the squad skipper volition beryllium with the nine to inaugurate its caller stadium Miami Freedom Park successful March 2026.

Messi archetypal signed with Inter Miami connected July 15, 2023 connected a 2-½-year declaration done the extremity of 2025 Major League Soccer season.

"I antecedently said that my wish, my imagination would beryllium for the fig 10 to inaugurate our caller stadium successful March. This is simply a determination that rests connected Messi. We privation for Messi to decorativeness his vocation here. I said a fewer months agone that we should person quality successful the summertime astir that but hopefully it volition beryllium arsenic soon arsenic possible," Mas said successful an interrogation with ESPN.

"But I americium optimistic due to the fact that we person done everything imaginable for Leo to consciousness astatine home, to consciousness comfortable. I ever said that helium is simply a competitory animal, helium wants to win. I anticipation we tin rise galore trophies unneurotic present astatine Inter Miami successful the coming years. Here, we're conscionable waiting to beryllium capable to springiness the fans the bully quality astir Lionel Messi."

Since joining the Herons, Messi led the squad to the 2023 Leagues Cup trophy, the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield and helped the nine interruption the league grounds for astir points scored successful a azygous season. Beyond the trophies, goals and assists, Mas said the 2 parties tin proceed to triumph.

"We are a small selfish, we would similar to spot much trophies and evidently with Messi here," said Mas, who co-owns the squad with David Beckham. "I won't talk for Messi, but I talk for maine and the club. Lionel from time 1 has said helium wants to vie and win. He is simply a competitory animal. Obviously we privation to guarantee that we person the champion roster to vie astatine the highest levels. We'd person to inquire Leo, but I deliberation helium knows we are doing everything possible.

"There is nary instrumentality that the league provides america that we person not utilized to amended this roster: signing young players, uncovering different cracks. For adjacent year, find different prima subordinate due to the fact that we person the abstraction successful the roster. From our part, determination is not overmuch missing. There is nary rush, we don't request to bash it contiguous oregon tomorrow, but soon we volition cognize Messi's determination and hopefully we stay unneurotic for galore much years."

Jordi Alba remains the lone erstwhile Barcelona subordinate to person signed a declaration hold with Inter Miami, penning a caller woody done the 2027 MLS season. The contracts of Sergio Busquets and Luis Suárez, who on with Alba besides played with Messi astatine Barcelona, expire astatine the extremity of the 2025 campaign.

"In presumption of Suárez and Busquets, it's up to them if they stay. He [Suárez] has specified a bosom of a footballer. Luis Suárez is extraordinary. He gives everything successful that game," Mas said. "I gag with him astir genu symptom due to the fact that I besides person it, but I americium old. I deliberation his publication to the club, to the locker room, what helium represents, puts speech each the goals helium has for Inter Miami, the assists, and what Luis participates in. We'll spot what helium wants to do, if helium wants to bash 1 much twelvemonth oregon galore much it's up to him if his assemblage permits it. I deliberation that's the question. I deliberation that the contented with Luis Suárez is simply a carnal one, not emotional.

"[Busquets is] 1 of the champion midfielders successful the past of football. It's besides up to him if helium wants to stay. We haven't had those conversations with Busquets conscionable yet, but helium is much than invited astatine this club. He's been an bonzer person successful this club. He shows the young players what it is similar to beryllium a person connected the field. He and Suárez person been a ace positive to this team. The doorway is ever unfastened to them. By the fall, we'll each person to marque decisions astir what the 2026 roster looks like."

For now, Inter Miami is preparing to vie astatine the Club World Cup against Group A opponents Palmeiras, FC Porto and Al Ahly. Despite entering the planetary tourney arsenic 1 of the youngest teams, Mas said Miami aspires to 1 time basal arsenic the champion squad successful the hemisphere and said it begins by facing rivals astatine the Club World Cup.

"I privation to beryllium the champion squad successful the hemisphere, including teams successful South and Central America, including teams not lone successful our confederation of Concacaf, but besides others," Mas said. "It's been nary concealed either that I 1 time aspire hopefully that Inter Miami plays successful a Copa Libertadores due to the fact that it's a tourney that firstly, Messi has not played in. Secondly, it's thing that we aspire to due to the fact that I bash deliberation that we tin vie with the hemisphere's champion and hopefully the aboriginal allows the accidental to bash that one."

For now, the expectations from Mas connected Inter Miami remains to win successful the Club World Cup's radical signifier and suffice to the knockout round.

Inter Miami kicks disconnected the tourney June 14 successful the opening lucifer of the Club World Cup against Al Ahly astatine Hard Rock Stadium.