The recent arrival of Rodrigo De Paul, one of Messi’s closest friends from the national team, only strengthens this trend. But the real surprise is the length of the new contract: three more years, keeping Messi at the club until 2028, when he will turn 41.

The Leagues Cup is a tournament where Inter Miami and Lionel Messi have found success in the past. Inter Miami won the 2023 Leagues Cup, the first edition, which used a tournament format filled with Liga MX and MLS teams.

The Leagues Cup makes its return this week, first with a batch of matches on Tuesday that included Toluca's win over reigning champions Columbus Crew on penalties. The action continues on Wednesday and Thursday, much of the attention on Inter Miami as superstar Lionel Messi welcomes another friend to South Florida.