How is Lionel Messi doing at Inter Miami?

A eight-time Ballon d'Or winner and four-time UEFA Champions League winner, Lionel Messi is widely regarded as the greatest player the sport has ever seen.

Aged 37, the Argentine is likely approaching the closing years of his career, now playing alongside former Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets at Inter Miami.

We explore how Messi has been getting on at Inter Miami who compete in the MLS.

How is Lionel Messi doing at Inter Miami?

Why did Lionel Messi join Inter Miami?

Having established himself as one of the sport's greatest for the best part of 20 years, Messi could have retired in 2023 and it wouldn't have hindered his legacy in the slightest.

Instead, the World Cup winner elected to join MLS side Inter Miami after spending two years in the French capital, representing Paris Saint-Germain.

By no means are Inter Miami the most prestigious side in the MLS, but in what is expected to be the final years of his career, the Argentine values the importance of spending time with his family in a hospitable environment.

A move to Inter Miami undoubtedly takes the spotlight away from Messi, playing in a league with fewer demands, whilst also bringing both the club and the league far more exposure.

Lionel Messi's role at Inter Miami

Lionel Messi wears his favoured number 10 shirt for Inter Miami, and it is no surprise to see that he is given a relatively free role on the pitch, appearing in areas where he best believes he can create and score goals.

Inter Miami are managed by former Argentina, Liverpool and Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano, and, while he is still coming to grips with management, he has predominantly opted for a 4-2-3-1 system up to now.

It would be no surprise to see Messi utilised in a more central role under the new manager, as Inter Miami aim to win the MLS for the first time in the club's history.

While Messi is rarely the fastest on the pitch, nor has he ever been, his remarkable awareness of the game, matched with his ever-present technical ability, makes him a constant threat and a prominent source of goals for Inter Miami.

Lionel Messi at Inter Miami quotes

“I feel very happy here. I said it at the beginning, it was a place I chose to come to."

- (Lionel Messi, press conference at DRV PNK Stadium, August 2023)

“The one thing that Leo is good as is teaching. He’s good at teaching the young players that are coming in from the academy. He doesn’t make any player feel below him."

- (David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand Presents Podcast, October 2024)