'The decision was easy' - Lionel Messi says lifestyle in America factored into agreement to extend contract with Inter Miami

Nashville SC v Inter Miami CF

Lionel Messi this week signed a three-year extension to stay with Inter Miami through 2028, and the Argentine says a major factor was the lifestyle in Florida. In addition to his family enjoying living in Miami, Messi told NBC Nightly News that he evaluated his mental and physical health and ultimately, the decision to remain in MLS was "easy."

'I'm happy living in Miami'

"Honestly, I felt really good during the year," Messi told NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas. "I'm happy living in Miami, as is my family, and honestly, the decision was easy."

News of a potential extension broke in April, then stalled over the past few months. The team announced the three-year extension on Thursday. Messi said during international duty with Argentina that he was unsure if he would play in the 2026 World Cup.

"Day by day, I try to feel good and, above all, be honest with myself. When I feel good, I enjoy it. But when I don’t, honestly, I don’t enjoy it - and if that’s the case, I’d rather not be there. So we’ll see," he said at the time. "I haven’t made a decision yet about the World Cup. Match by match, I’ll finish the season, then have preseason, and in six months, I’ll see how I feel. Hopefully, I can finish this MLS season strong, have a good preseason in 2026, and then make a decision.”

Messi told NBC that he evaluated both his health and options, and decided to extend with the MLS side.

“I've always said that I’ll base my decision on how I feel day to day and how I feel physically and mentally to continue playing and to continue being part of this club," he said. 

messi

Messi's impact on MLS

Since Messi’s arrival, Inter Miami’s value has more than doubled to roughly $1.2 billion, according to Sportico and Forbes. The impact has been felt across every metric: MLS attendance hit 11.2 million in 2025 - its second-highest total - with teams averaging 14,000 more fans when Messi and Miami visited, a 63-percent jump over their standard home crowds.

The club’s Instagram following exploded from 1 million to 17.9 million, trailing only the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers among U.S. teams across sports. And Messi’s jersey has been No. 1 in MLS sales for three straight seasons, setting records across North American sports, and remains Adidas’s top-selling shirt worldwide.

Nashville SC v Inter Miami CF

Dominant individual play

Messi has scored 50 goals in 53 league games, adding 35 assists in that span. He was the 2024 MLS MVP and is the frontrunner to become the first player in league history to win the award in back-to-back seasons.

Playoffs ahead

Inter Miami kick off their first round series against Nashville Friday in Game 1 of a best-of-three format. NBC will air the full interview with Messi on Monday at 6:30 p.m. ET.