Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami contract runs through the 2028 MLS season, when he will be 41, creating a closely balanced market around any playing extension. Recent national-team retirement has focused his club commitments, while Inter Miami’s ownership has outlined multimillion-dollar plans to retain him long-term, including a potential ownership stake already embedded in his deal and annual contract reviews that allow season-by-season evaluation. Strong recent form, continued competitiveness noted by coaches, and the club’s commercial reliance on the Argentine forward support the slight edge for a yes outcome. Counterbalancing factors include advancing age, physical demands of MLS schedules, his growing business interests in Spanish clubs, and the absence of any confirmed playing extension beyond 2028, leaving room for retirement or non-playing roles to shift sentiment.