Messi’s next best move as PSG Dismantles Inter Miami as Uncertainty Grows Over His Future
ATLANTA — Lionel Messi next move remains uncertain with his contract at Inter Milan slated to end in 2025.Will Lionel Messi renew the contact or did the world just witness his final match on the global stage. The 38-year-old Argentine icon featured for Inter Miami in a crushing 4–0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday in front of 65,574 fans at the FIFA Club World Cup in Atlanta.
Despite the loss, the match marked a poignant moment in what could be Messi’s last appearance in international spotlight. Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano, a former teammate, told reporters after the game, “PSG are champions of everything, but people still buy tickets to see Leo Messi, even at 38 years old.”
The game saw PSG strike four times in the first half, controlling the match with clinical precision. Messi, while showing flashes of brilliance, had limited impact. He completed 31 of 35 passes, took multiple shots one blocked, one saved, and one off a free-kick that struck the wall and nearly assisted Luis Suarez with a delicate lofted pass that went unfinished.
“That’s the touch of the tournament from Lionel Messi,” said Don Hutchison on live broadcast. “The weight and precision on that ball were perfect.”
This was the first time in Messi’s 1,109-game career that he faced a former club. Ironically, it was against the team where he never quite found his stride. His two-season stint at PSG yielded 32 goals in 75 appearances, but he failed to lead the team to Champions League glory. PSG finally won that title this season without Messi, Neymar, or Mbappé and now move closer to securing the Club World Cup trophy.
Messi’s contract with Inter Miami runs through the end of 2025. Whether he plans to retire or extend his career remains unclear. Though teammates like Luis Suarez and Argentina’s Nicolás Otamendi believe he will stay through the 2026 World Cup, Messi has not confirmed any decision.
“He’s taking things game by game, tournament by tournament,” a source close to the player stated. “No one not even Messi knows what’s next.”
Messi’s 2022 World Cup win with Argentina filled the last major gap in his legendary career, silencing debates over his legacy. He remains the all-time top scorer for Barcelona (672 goals), Argentina (112), and Inter Miami (50).
In this Club World Cup, he reminded fans he still has moments of magic. His free-kick goal against Porto in the group stage drew widespread praise. But age is catching up. Sunday’s match showed a player still intelligent and precise, but no longer dominant.
Messi’s manager Mascherano said, “I think Leo played a great game, within the options we had. In the second half we found him more, but Paris’s pressure in the first half limited him.”
If Messi continues playing in North America, the international spotlight may fade. The next Club World Cup isn’t scheduled until 2029, when Messi would be 42. As of now, there is no official word on whether he’ll lead Argentina into the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
For now, fans around the world are left wondering: have we just witnessed the final global act of Lionel Messi’s unforgettable career?
