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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Lionel Messi hailed a “beautiful, emotional moment’ after his brace of assists secured a first-ever MLS Cup title for Inter Miami after defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 on Saturday.

The victory completes a dramatic turnaround for a club that was languishing in the MLS basement when the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner arrived in Miami as the biggest signing in league history in July 2023.

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It was the 44th senior title for Messi, who was named the MLS Cup MVP. It was also his third with Miami, having helped the team to the Leagues Cup in 2023 and Supporters’ Shield in 2024. MLS Cup, though, is the biggest trophy so far for a club that launched with the backing of David Beckham in 2020.

“A beautiful, emotional moment for us, for the people of Miami, to be able to achieve the MLS objective,” Messi told ESPN. “It’s a very new club, so to speak. When we played before, we were lucky enough to win a title, but this was the real objective, to win MLS and be at the top of the American league, and luckily we achieved it.

“We were fortunate to play at home, a huge joy for the people, so we have to enjoy it.”

At a packed Chase Stadium in South Florida, the home side took an early lead thanks to an own goal scored by Vancouver’s Édier Ocampo in the eighth minute. Forced by a shot from Miami’s Tadeo Allende, the ball deflected off Ocampo and past Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka.

Despite the instant advantage for Miami, and some scrappy plays that led to regaining possession, the Whitecaps gradually took charge in the remainder of the first half.

Lionel Messi lifts the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy after leading Inter Miami to victory in MLS Cup. Rich Storry/Getty Images

With captain and Bayern Munich legend Thomas Müller pulling plenty of the strings, the visitors were proactive in the final third before the halftime whistle. Following the midway break, Vancouver’s relentless pressure found an even higher gear. In the second half, head coach Jesper Sørensen pushed his team further up the field, leading to a goal from Ali Ahmed in the 60th minute that tied the score at 1.

At first appearing to be a straightforward save, Ahmed’s shot took an unexpected late bounce that snuck its way beyond the fingertips of Miami goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo.

The narrative of the plucky underdogs coming into town and stealing the spotlight appeared to be set. That is, until the biggest star on the pitch took over in the second half. Messi, cleverly stealing the ball in the opposition’s half in the 71st minute, then made a dangerous pass to a sprinting De Paul.

With just the goalkeeper to beat, Messi’s fellow Argentine international slotted his shot with ease into Vancouver’s net to put the home side decisively in front.

With chants of “Messi! Messi!” ringing throughout Chase Stadium, the crowd seemed to know how the match would play out.

Vancouver, eager to at least send the game into extra time, continued its pressing in the dying minutes but was left with nothing to show. Instead, it was Messi, again.

Adding salt to the wounds of the visitors, Messi provided an assist for Allende in the 96th minute to make it 3-1 and spark wild celebrations all around Chase Stadium, not least from first-year coach Javier Mascherano.

“I’m very happy for him,” Mascherano said. “I’m very happy because of the season that he played. … For him it was very, very special and very important to win this trophy. He came here to win this trophy.”

It was Messi’s 15th goal contribution of this year’s playoffs, a record for a single MLS postseason, and provided a record ninth goal of these playoffs for Allende.

The final whistle blew following a final touch of Sergio Busquets‘ career, with the midfielder joining teammate and fellow former Barcelona legend Jordi Alba in retiring following Saturday’s game.

It was also the culmination of a 12-year odyssey for Beckham, part of Inter Miami’s ownership group.

He retired as a player in 2013, and his MLS contract said he could start a franchise at a discounted rate when his career ended. Beckham chose Miami, and it took him years to finally make it happen. It wasn’t until January 2018 when the franchise was formally born after he partnered with Miami businessmen Jorge Mas and Jose Mas, and even then the team didn’t have a stadium plan.

Now Inter Miami becomes the 16th franchise in the league’s 30-year history to win an MLS title. This extends a run of parity for MLS, which has seen five different franchises win championships in the past five years and eight franchises claim a title in the past nine seasons — only Columbus has won twice in that span.

“It’s been an incredible journey,” Beckham said.

And the 38-year-old Messi, the 2024 MLS MVP who seems like a lock to win the award again this season, still is like none other in the biggest moments with a contract that could have him playing with Miami into his early 40s. When next season starts, the team will be playing in a new stadium near Miami International Airport with a back-to-back title in mind.

“He’s not just here to enjoy living in Miami,” Beckham said. “His wife and the kids love Miami, but he’s come here to win, and that’s really what Leo is all about. He wants to win. He’s got that dedication, the loyalty that he shows to his teammates, to the city, to the club. Leo is a winner. It’s simple as that.”

Information from ESPN’s Lizzy Becherano, The Associated Press and ESPN Research was used in this report.

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As he embarks on the final chapter of his great career, Lionel Messi sat down with ESPN.

It is an interesting time in his life. On Saturday, he will look to help Inter Miami to MLS Cup, in turn lifting his first league title outside of Europe. Back in Barcelona, where he went from teenage boy to world star, he is still revered, with constant talk of whether he will ever return as a player.

And then there is the 2026 World Cup. In little over six months, the eyes of the world will descend on the United States, Canada and Mexico as Argentina bid to defend their crown.

But will Messi take part?

In a wide-ranging interview with ESPN Argentina’s “SportsCenter,” Messi discussed a manner of topics, including family, his desire to again lead Argentina, the brilliance of Lionel Scaloni and why Pep Guardiola is one of “the best” ever.

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On the MLS Cup final:

Messi: “I’m happy; it’s very special to play another final with this club. We already played another one recently. Being able to reach the MLS final with a ‘new’ club is spectacular.”

He added: “We’ve already started working on it [the MLS final], studying the opponent, watching videos with Masche [Javier Mascherano], doing tactical work. We’re in good shape.

“We’re in a very good moment, the team is solid and excited. Playing at home is a plus. Even though we went through a stretch where we were very inconsistent and struggled to win back-to-back games, at home we always stayed strong.”

On MLS schedule:

Messi: “I’ve said it and I’ll repeat it: this part of the season hits us differently compared to Europe. We’re going to start a tough preseason in January and then we’ll have many games in a row with the league and the [Concacaf Champions Cup].

“I’m going to prepare myself for that, but like I said, I’ll take it day by day, being honest and realistic and trying to feel good

“This year I felt really good. I was lucky to play many games. People talk about the league being very physical, and it is; rivals have improved a lot. There are long trips, games that get very back-and-forth. I truly felt good, I enjoyed it, and I hope the start of next year is the same.”

On the expectation of winning:

Messi: “I’ve always been competitive; I like to win and I try to do it. Along the way I’ve had bad stretches or tough moments, but I always keep trying and I get back up, always looking for the best.”

“Many of the things that happened to me, I only realize or value now. When you’re focused or caught up in the day-to-day, it’s very difficult. My whole career was playing every three days, always important games, always fighting for important goals.

“We’d win one and a month later we had another one, or a new year would start and I had the obligation to win everything.

“The demands of being at a big club like Barcelona, and it was the same in Paris, and also with Argentina, where you always have to go out and win.

“Most of the time it doesn’t happen or it’s very difficult, but from the start the mindset is to win everything, and the day-to-day keeps you from enjoying things.

“What’s coming becomes more important than what already happened, and with time you start valuing things much more.”

On his childhood dream:

Messi: “I always say that my childhood dream was to play for Newell’s first team. I’d go to the stadium, I played there, and I dreamed of becoming a professional in Primera. Then my life changed completely because I left at 13, debuted for Barcelona, and everything that happened afterward.

“It’s something I never would’ve imagined, not even in my best dreams. I lived things much bigger than anything I could have dreamed of.”

On his playing mentality and the brilliance of Leandro Paredes:

Messi: “The truth is I’ve always been like that [a bit hot-headed on the field]. When you step onto the pitch, your personality changes. Off the field I was shy, introverted, and on the field I transformed — I yelled, I argued, I wanted to do everything right, and it still happens today.

“It’s part of the game and everything stays there. I always play to win, and I get heated, and in those moments you can’t control your emotions. For me, everything that happens stays on the field.

“[Paredes and De Paul] They’re the kind of players you want on your team, but rivals hate them. Off the field it’s completely different because they’re two amazing, normal, humble guys. But on the field they transform.

“When I see Paredes, I think he gave Boca Juniors a huge boost since he arrived. He made them stronger, especially at home. A big part of that is because of him, because of the style of play he gives them, because he managed to organize the team on the field.

“I know the group gets along really well and that shows. I’m happy because he’s a friend, I love him a lot, and he really wanted to come back. The fact that he’s doing well makes me even happier.”

On Argentina’s World Cup chance

Messi:“The truth is we have extraordinary players, and it’s been shown for years — especially the desire and excitement since [Lionel] Scaloni took over.

“The mentality everyone has. It’s a squad full of winners, with strong mindsets, who want to win more, and that’s contagious. You see it in training, in matches. You see them train and they give everything.

“We’re an amazing group that gets along very well, but in training matches or certain drills, if they have to go hard, they go hard. Everyone gives their all, and that’s a huge strength of this group and this national team.

“Scaloni and his staff built all of this. The day-to-day atmosphere comes from them.

“New players keep appearing; aside from the ones already there, new faces keep coming in. When a group is like this, it’s easier for newcomers to fit in.

“Argentina needs to take advantage of this moment. Coming off winning the World Cup gives you confidence and relief to prepare competitions differently.”

On the genius Lionel Scaloni:

Messi:“I think from day one he established an idea, and the best thing he did — beyond how he experiences the game or how he sets up matches — is his closeness to the group.

“The way he treats players, the way he connects with each of them, because he knows them as people and knows how to talk to each one, because he built this team himself, bringing in new players, even players who weren’t well known in Argentine football.

“No matter where they play, he considers them. That keeps Argentine players motivated, knowing that at any moment they could be called if they’re performing well at their club.

“It’s extra motivation. Scaloni is the one who accomplished all of that.”

“He was a character [as a player.] Now he has become much more serious and changed. But as a teammate he was totally different.

“He was always joking and never stopped. For us younger ones, he was always close.

“I always tease him. I tell him that at the 2006 World Cup he kicked me all over the place.

“‘That’s a lie,’ he tells me.

“‘You don’t remember, but you know how hard you kicked me,’ I say.

“We come from that time together, and as he says, he was close to us, even when he was with [Jorge] Sampaoli.

“He was a teammate, and because of his personality he was close to the group, he talked to everyone, he knew us all.

“From the moment he became the head coach, our communication stayed exactly the same.

“We talk a lot, and he is like that with everyone. That’s his best quality: being himself, being direct, saying what he has to say to each one. Beyond that, he is an excellent coach at preparing matches, studying opponents’ weaknesses, knowing where they can hurt us.

“He is spectacular.

On the 2026 World Cup:

Messi: “The truth is we’ve been talking about it. He [Scaloni] understands, and we’ve discussed it a lot.

“He always tells me that he would like me to be there in any role. We have a relationship of great trust and we can talk about everything.”

On if he would play a Finalissima against Spain:

“No, to be honest, no. It’s not even confirmed if it will be played. They don’t even know if it will happen.

“But being honest, having a preseason in the middle changes everything for me.

“It’s like starting a new season from scratch, and having a preseason in the middle will help me a lot because European players arrive to finals with a ton of matches in their legs, like always. Except for Qatar, which was midseason, and many felt better because they had less load.

“I think the same will happen to me.”

On returning to Rosario:

Messi: “Well, I always say that I try to be myself and live day-by-day as I am.

“Without pretending or acting depending on who’s watching or what people might say. I have my personality, I’m like this, and I live it this way.

“I’m very private with my circle, my family, my friends, and for me the best thing is when December comes and I can go to Rosario for the holidays, with my people.

“All my life and my career I’ve been the same.

“December is for going to Argentina and spending the holidays there.

“I had ‘arguments’ with Pep [Guardiola] because sometimes the dates didn’t work or I didn’t want to. But he always understood, he let me, and he gave me permission.

“For me that was a boost. I came back with so much more motivation because I had what I loved: going back to Rosario, being with friends and family. Day-to-day, I live the same way. I take the kids to school, I go train, we come back in the afternoon with the boys, and I live a very normal, very family-oriented life.”

On ‘unique’ Pep Guardiola:

Messi:“I had crossed paths with him once, but I didn’t know him, we had no relationship until he became our coach at Barcelona. Pep is unique. There are extraordinarily good coaches, but he has something special — he’s the best of all for me.

“A bit like what we said about Scaloni: the way he sees things, prepares matches, communicates … for me he’s the best.

“We were lucky that we all coincided at Barcelona — him and all of us. He had the pieces he needed for what he wanted.”

“Then he went somewhere else and kept winning. It’s not just winning; it’s how his teams play. He did it at Bayern, he did it at City.

“Even though he didn’t win the Champions League at Bayern, he changed the way football was played in Germany, where they were used to a different style. In England he did the same… He not only changes a team, he changes how the whole league plays.”

“From the beginning we had a great relationship. Pep was very close, we talked a lot, and I learned an enormous amount from him

“I added more things to my game on top of what I already knew. I learned a lot with him — how to move, how to read spaces.

“He was even the one who put me as a false nine; in Barcelona’s youth teams I played behind the striker. That was really my position. Even when I debuted with [Frank] Rijkaard and later with Pep, they placed me as a winger, but I had never really played there.

“But I kept adding things to my game and kept growing footballwise as well.”

On the best year of his career:

Messi:“I don’t know, it’s difficult — it depends on how you look at it.

“I don’t like statistics; today everything is about that. I like to be very involved in the game. There were years when we won everything: reaching the Copa América final with the national team, winning the Champions League with Barcelona.

“It’s difficult. In 2012, I scored around 91 goals. I don’t play for that, I never cared about it.

“It wasn’t in my mind to make an assist just to break a record or surpass someone else. It’s hard to choose one year; thankfully I’ve had many very good ones.”

On importance of family:

Messi(after being shown a video of his family, from an interview when he was with Argentina’s under-20s): “For me, family is everything, the most important thing.

“They were always by my side. There were tough moments. We suffered a lot with the national team. They suffer more than we do.

“In Barcelona we won everything, and then I’d come back to the national team, things wouldn’t go well, and people insulted me; they said I didn’t feel the shirt, that I shouldn’t play anymore. My family stayed in Argentina and watched all the sports shows — you know we’re all a bit masochistic. My parents and siblings had a very hard time.”

“I was lucky to always have my family. We’re very close. Same with [wife] Antonela’s family. I enjoy having them all close, because in the end, that’s what matters most.”

On difficulty of the World Cup:

Messi: “Yes, I think we have a great group and we’re going to try again. After that, small details can leave you out.

“Any national team can complicate things, you hit the post and you’re out, or you lose on penalties. Even though we won on penalties, we were superior in the game against the Netherlands and against France, and still ended up going to penalties. We had the beast, [goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez] ‘Dibu’, who helped us win, but you can also go to penalties and lose.

“It’s very difficult to win a World Cup. It’s something that is lived differently: as a spectator, as a player, and as a fan. Now, seeing the group, I’m sure they will fight.

“Winning took a huge weight off our shoulders. Playing without that pressure is a relief, but at the same time it doesn’t guarantee anything, because everyone wants to beat the world champion.

“There are very good national teams — Spain, France again, England, Brazil, who haven’t been champions for a while and want to win again, and also Germany.”

On whether he will be at the 2026 World Cup

Messi: “I hope I can be there. I’ve said before that I’d love to be there.

“At worst, I’ll be there watching it live, but it will be special. The World Cup is special for everyone, for any country — especially for us, because we live it in a completely different way.”

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Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal says he has no intention of being the next Lionel Messi as the talented teenager focuses on making his own path in the game.

Yamal, 18, has been frequently compared with Barça great Messi, who helped Inter Miami reach the MLS Cup final at the weekend, for obvious reasons: both players came through the Catalan club’s academy, play on the right of the attack and have some similarities in their playing styles.

However, Yamal, who finished second in the Ballon d’Or this year, an award won eight times by Messi, insists it’s a tag he wants to avoid.

Lamine Yamal has swerved comparisons with Lionel Messi. Bruno Penas/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

“I knew the question was coming,” Yamal told CBS show 60 Minutes when asked about the comparisons with Messi.

“I respect him, in the end for what’s he’s been, for what he is to football, and if we ever meet on a pitch, there will be that mutual respect because we are players and because, for me, he’s the best in history.

“He also knows I am a player and I respect him, so it’s mutual respect. We both know I don’t want to be Messi and Messi knows I don’t want to be him.

“I want to follow my path and that’s it. I don’t have the intention of playing like him or wearing the No.10 that Messi wore or anything like that.”

Yamal, who did inherit Barça’s No.10 shirt this summer coincidentally, says there are some elements of his game that have been shaped by Messi, who remains the club’s leading appearance holder and goal scorer.

While he often stands out for his dribbling skills, it’s his passing which he is most proud of, as demonstrated with his assist for Dani Olmo in Saturday’s 3-1 LaLiga win over Alavés which took Barça to the top of the table.

“The strange thing is as a little kid I didn’t dribble much,” he added. “I scored a lot, I ran a lot, but above all I always had a good vision of the game.

“As a kid, focusing on Messi maybe, I noticed he made different passes. I have seen good passers, making long passes or whatever, but Messi made passes that were like goals, with the outside of his foot, and that’s what I focused on.

“I’ve seen it from [Luka] Modric too. They are players I liked and it seemed more interesting than dribbling because it’s cleverer.”

Yamal and Messi have never met on the pitch, but that could potentially change next summer at the World Cup, which Spain and Argentina have both qualified for.

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As holders, Argentina rank among the favourites going into the tournament, which will be played in the United States, Canada and Mexico, while Spain are also among the candidates to lift the trophy after winning the European Championships last summer led by a 16-year-old Yamal.

“Very high,” Yamal said when asked about expectations going into the World Cup.

“It’s been a long time since Spain were a serious contender. The country is excited, I am excited. It couldn’t arrive in a better moment. I feel good, I feel important.

Asked if Spain will win the World Cup, he gave a one-word answer, in English: “Yes.”

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Nov 30, 2025, 02:14 PM ET

Thomas Müller knows exactly what it is like to face Lionel Messi with a trophy at stake. And he knows what it takes to win in those moments, too.

The 2025 MLS Cup final — Messi and Inter Miami vs. Müller and the Vancouver Whitecaps — is going to draw few comparisons from a personnel standpoint to the 2014 World Cup final and 2010 World Cup quarterfinal matches between Argentina and Germany.

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Germany, with Müller, won both times. Messi played in those matches for Argentina, as did Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano. They’ll all meet again on Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, with Müller surely knowing that facing Messi doesn’t automatically mean a loss.

“It’s not about Messi against Thomas Müller,” he told reporters after Vancouver’s 3-1 win over San Diego in the Western Conference final on Saturday night. “It’s Miami against the Whitecaps.”

Then he added, “Maybe they rely a little bit more on him than we do on me, because we are such a good group.”

What Messi thinks of the matchup – he’s gone head to head with Müller 10 times in various competitions, and his side has won only three of those – is a bit of mystery and likely may stay that way. Inter Miami rarely makes Messi available for interviews.

This much, however, is known: Messi came to Inter Miami midway through 2023 with the goal of winning an MLS Cup, something that seemed far-fetched at the time considering when he joined the club it was at the bottom of the league. A win on Saturday would fulfill his quest and would cap a season when Messi also won MLS’ Golden Boot as the top scorer – plus, more than likely, a second consecutive league MVP award.

“Even though he’s the best in history…it’s unfair to believe that he’s going to win every game,” Mascherano said after Inter Miami’s 5-1 romp past New York City FC in the Eastern Conference final on Saturday night. “Everybody has raised their level.”

The MLS final comes as part of a huge week for soccer in North America.

The FIFA World Cup draw for next year’s men’s tournament in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is on Friday in Washington D.C. along with the initial awarding of that organization’s peace prize that many expect the group to award to President Donald Trump. MLS, if past form holds, seems likely to announce its MVP award winner this week. And college soccer is nearing its championship rounds. The men’s Division I quarterfinals are this coming weekend along with the start of the women’s Division I College Cup.

It’s not like either Messi or Müller needs a win on Saturday to complete some sort of validation. Their resumes and legacies were secured long ago: Both are World Cup winners, both are Champions League winners, both are Club World Cup winners.

But like Messi, Müller came to MLS — he joined Vancouver four months ago — seeking a title in that league to add to the list. The chance has arrived.

“I enjoy watching him,” Müller said in an on-field interview for Apple TV following Vancouver’s win Saturday night. “I have the feeling Miami’s a very strong team. We saw them beating New York in quite a really strong manner. It’s a big final. I wished for this final. And here we go. I think it’s great for everyone.”

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Leonardo Balerdi bursts into laughter as he describes the moment a police van stopped in front of his car in Marseille, sirens blaring, only for four officers to jump out, shout and sing “Allez lâ€OM!†and drive off again. “It was just a normal day, but it was brilliant. I thought: OK, Iâ€m good here now,†he says with a smile. Marseille is a city that lives and breathes for its football club. Yet that same volcanic passion can weigh as heavily as it lifts – and Balerdi has felt both sides of it.

In his early days at Marseille, a supporter staged a hunger strike outside the clubâ€s training ground to protest against his continued presence in the team after he made mistakes in defeats to Paris Saint-Germain and Annecy. “I learned and grew a lot mentally during these years,†says the 26-year-old. “Whatever happened, I knew I couldnâ€t let things get to me, or at least not as much.â€

The Argentinian joined the club in 2021 with little senior experience: five games for Boca Juniors, seven for Borussia Dortmund. “I didnâ€t have confidence in myself and I didnâ€t yet have the experience of senior football,†he says. “Marseille is a big club and big clubs expect immediate results. Maybe people didnâ€t see that reality.â€

The learning curve was steep in his first two seasons. Bookings, mistakes and the constant trouble of a shoulder injury did not help. But the defenderâ€s evolution accelerated under Igor Tudor. “He trusted me a lot,†says Balerdi. “He changed me mentally. That shift started with him.â€

Tudor left the club in the summer of 2023 before a chaotic season in which Marcelino, Gennaro Gattuso and Jean-Louis Gasset passed through the revolving managerial door. With so much churn in the dugout, the team benefited from Balerdiâ€s leadership on the pitch. “By then I knew what it meant to play for Marseille,†he says. “Even with everything happening outside, I knew what I had to give the team: consistency and confidence for my teammates.

“I try to be an example, to do things properly,†he says of his style as captain. “Iâ€m better one-to-one, giving players confidence. Because in the past, I needed moments like that myself. You have to put yourself in someone elseâ€s shoes.â€

The 2023-24 season was when he first encountered Roberto De Zerbi. Marseille faced Brighton twice in the Europa League and failed to win either game. “We didnâ€t touch the ball,†he says with a smile. Only six months later, the Italian arrived in Marseille. When De Zerbi took the job, he contacted Balerdi immediately. “The message and his words really moved me. I said to myself: This is going to be something special.â€

Being a central defender for a De Zerbi side is unique. The demands of building high, playing one-touch and drawing pressure require a defender who practically sees the game as a midfielder. “He asked me to do things no other coach had,†Balerdi says. “Weâ€re always focused on finding space, waiting for pressure to come and then finding the third man.â€

De Zerbiâ€s intensity coalesces with the city of Marseille: passionate, uncompromising, but also with warmth and attention for those who would go to war for him. “What struck me was his passion for football,†said Balerdi. “He sees football in a different way than others. And beyond the pitch, you can see he tries to build a close relationship with his players.â€

Those relationships were tested on opening day this season, when Ludovic Blas scored a 96th-minute winner for 10-man Rennes against Marseille. After the match, a dressing-room altercation occurred between Jonathan Rowe and Adrien Rabiot, both of whom were moved on.

“It was very hard for me because it didnâ€t just involve two teammates; it involved two friends who had to leave. These things happen when thereâ€s ambition and passion,†Balerdi says. “But you have to take responsibility. After that match, we had seven or eight players arrive and, thanks to their quick adaptation, we really got our season started.â€

Leonardo Balerdi and Benjamin Pavard (left) have struck up a great relationship in the Marseille defence. Photograph: Manon Cruz/Reuters

Marseille signed the defenders Facundo Medina, CJ Egan-Riley, Emerson Palmieri and Benjamin Pavard. “These players have incredible qualities and a lot of experience,†says Balerdi, who played a key role in welcoming Pavard. “From the first training sessions, you could feel the mutual understanding. If one of us makes a mistake, we feel like we have each otherâ€s back.â€

After a difficult defeat on the opening day, Marseille embarked on a great run that included wins against Strasbourg, Ajax and PSG – the first time they had beaten their rivals at home in the league for 14 years. They are up to second in the Ligue 1 table, with much of their improvement due to their newfound defensive resilience.

Balerdi has been out for a few weeks with a calf injury but he is set to return for their Champions League match against Newcastle United. The timing matters. Marseille are pushing to save their European campaign and the defender is playing for something bigger this season: a place in Argentinaâ€s squad for the World Cup.

“My objective is to go to the World Cup. It would be a dream to win something with the national team,†Balerdi says with conviction. “Iâ€ve known Lionel Scaloni for a long time. I was in the under-20s at a tournament in Spain and since then Iâ€ve always had a good relationship with him. Heâ€s relaxed and doesnâ€t speak too much, but when he does, heâ€s precise.â€

Competition at centre-back is fierce, but Balerdiâ€s performances over the last two seasons have put him into the conversation. Mention of the national team inevitably brings one name to mind: his international teammate Lionel Messi, who he faced in the Le Classique.

“You try not to think too much about who he is but there was one game before the 2022 World Cup when all my friends messaged me: ‘Do NOT injure Messi.†I said: ‘Donâ€t say that!†Playing against him was special but he played for PSG and I wanted to beat him. As a player, heâ€s something else. Heâ€s like Diego Maradona. He put Argentina on the map. For our generation, Messi represents football: our football, our people, our neighbourhoods. Weâ€ve been lucky to have Maradona and now Messi. You have to enjoy it while heâ€s still playing.â€

Balerdi allows himself a small smile when entertaining the thought of sharing a dressing room with Messi next summer. But then he pauses, exhales and says: “I have to stay in the moment, otherwise my head will explode with everything else happening.â€

The future will take care of itself. For Balerdi, there is only Marseille, the next match against Newcastle and the belief that everything else will follow. Itâ€s a quiet self-assurance that comes from surviving the hardest moments this club – and city – can throw at you.

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Lionel Messi is a man — at least publicly — of very few words, so naturally when he talks people tend to listen.

His latest comments on life in the United States have acknowledged a universal truth about Major League Soccer and Inter Miami that he had never said out loud: there is simply less pressure here than anywhere else he has played.

In an interview with Barcelona outlet Sport released this week, a candid Messi made clear that this chapter of his career does not have the type of external “obligation” to win every trophy that defined his years in Europe’s top flights.

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Lionel Messi: ‘I don’t think about soccer at home now’

Lionel Messi during the FIFA Club World Cup (Image credit: Rich Storry – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

The reality of that statement may be obvious to anyone familiar with the Beautiful Game, but the superstar Argentine had never articulated it so plainly.

“My family and I enjoy the day-to-day in another way because you experience it differently,” Messi said of life in Miami. “It’s more relaxed, without as much pressure, and without the obligation — even though I always want to — to win and achieve every objective.

Lionel Messi lines up a free-kick (Image credit: Getty Images)

“Obviously we want to accomplish that, but the pressure is different and that allows you to live more relaxed as well.”

Messi did not stop there. The 38-year-old attacker also explained how that reduced pressure has changed his daily life, particularly his mood.

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He acknowledged that poor results often impacted his demeanor away from the field while playing in Europe, but stated that the weight of matches no longer follows him home to his family in Miami.

“I am now able to get home and not think about soccer as much. I think more about other things,” Messi said, who last month signed a new MLS contract through 2028. “Whether you want it to or not, that makes you live in a different way because many times the results and the day-to-day controlled my mood.

“Sometimes I would come home in a bad mood. It was different, but we are good here.”

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Lionel Messi has lifted only two trophies with Inter Miami in his two-and-a-half years playing in Major League Soccer. (Image credit: CHRIS ARJOON/AFP via Getty Images)

While the outside level of demand for results may not be the same as it was at FC Barcelona and PSG, Messi has consistently delivered for Inter Miami since arriving stateside in July 2023.

He is on track to win a historic second straight MLS MVP award this season, is in the midst of leading the South Florida side in its playoff run, and has transformed the team into the league’s most prominent and ambitious outfit.

Collectively, however, Messi and star-studded Inter Miami have not drowned themselves in silverware.

Inter Miami CF vs. Nashville SC | Full Match Highlights | 2025 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs – YouTube

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The team co-owned by David Beckham has won a Leagues Cup and Supporters’ Shield, but that has been the extent of the hardware haul in nearly two-and-a-half years. MLS Cup is currently within reach, but there is no guarantee Inter Miami will lift the league’s ultimate prize given the inconsistencies shown this campaign.

That limited trophy return may not draw the level of scrutiny and ire that Messi once faced on the Old Continent, but it does underscore how different the demands around him are in a chapter of his career that seems to be as much about quality of life as on-field ambition.

“Here, my family and I are doing well. We enjoy the city and the daily routine,” Messi said. “It’s a lifestyle very similar to what we had in Castelldefels, with the club nearby and the kids’ school very close as well. Everything is nearby and comfortable.

Leo Messi, en exclusiva para SPORT: “Me imaginaba jugando toda mi vida en Barcelona” – YouTube

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“We live away from the city. Honestly, Miami is beautiful, but dealing with the traffic is heavy.”

Messi’s recent remarks offer a rare glimpse into his mindset at this late stage in his legendary career. He has effectively said the quiet part about Major League Soccer out loud, acknowledging that the pressure is lighter than what he is accustomed to.

Doing so might invite questions about how hard he is still pushing in an environment that does not require the same level of focus, expectations or intensity, but Messi has repeatedly shown in MLS — at least on the field — how much winning still means to him.

His surroundings might be more forgiving than they once were, but Messi insists that his competitive standards remain at a high level.

“I do not like losing at anything, and every time I step onto a pitch it is to win or at least try,” Messi said. “I like to compete, and that was part of the challenge here. I came to a very young club that was still growing, and the goal was to help turn it into a competitive team that could fight for titles.”

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Lionel Andrés “Leo†Messi is an Argentinian captain for both Inter Miami in Major League Soccer and the Argentina national team. He made his competitive debut for Barcelona at age 17 in October 2004. At age 22, in the 2008–09 season, Messi helped Barcelona win the first treble in Spanish football history, earning his first Ballon dâ€Or.

By the 2011–12 season, he had set the European record for most goals in a single season and become Barcelonaâ€s all-time top scorer. In the 2014–15 season, he became La Ligaâ€s all-time top scorer and led Barcelona to another treble, winning his fifth Ballon dâ€Or in 2015. Messi became Barcelonaâ€s captain in 2018 and won his sixth Ballon dâ€Or in 2019.

During his time with Barcelona, he won a club-record 34 trophies, including ten La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League titles. Due to financial issues at Barcelona, Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain in August 2021, winning Ligue 1 in both of his seasons there. In July 2023, he signed with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

Who is Lionel Messi Wife?

Lionel Messiâ€s wife is Antonela Roccuzzo, an Argentine model and entrepreneur. She was born in Rosario, Argentina, and is the cousin of Messiâ€s childhood friend, Lucas Scaglia. Messi and Antonela first met when they were nine years old and grew up together in Rosario. Their friendship turned into romance years later, and they began dating around 2008–2009.

Antonela and Messi got married on June 30, 2017, in their hometown, Rosario, in a ceremony called “the wedding of the century,†attended by football stars like Luis Suárez, Gerard Piqué, and Shakira.

More About Antonela Roccuzzo

Antonela Roccuzzo is an Argentine model and entrepreneur. She has modeled for well-known brands such as Stella McCartney, Adidas, and Alo Yoga. Her modeling career began years ago, with her first major contract signed in 2016.

Before pursuing modeling, Antonela studied dentistry and social communication at the National University of Rosario. She later moved to Barcelona to be with Lionel Messi as his career progressed.

Is Antonela Roccuzzo on Instagram?

Antonela Roccuzzo is on Instagram under the username @antonelaroccuzzo. Her profile lists her as a Digital creator with the bio: “Mamá de Thiago Mateo y Ciro Miami .â€She has 901 posts, 40 million followers, and 906 following.

When did Lionel Messi and Antonela Roccuzzo get married?

Lionel Messi wed Antonela Roccuzzo in Rosario, Argentina, on June 30, 2017. The civil ceremony took place at the City Center Hotel, a posh location with strict security and more than 260 guests, including football players and celebrities. Hundreds of police were deployed, and 150 accredited journalists covered the event from a restricted press area.

The guest list included Messiâ€s Barcelona teammates Luis Suárez, Neymar, Gerard Piqué, and Shakira. Former teammates Xavi Hernández, Cesc Fàbregas, Carles Puyol, and Argentine star Ezequiel Lavezzi also attended.

The reception featured Argentine cuisine such as empanadas, sweetbreads, and blood sausage, along with a sushi station. Antonela wore a gown designed by Rosa Clará, known for dressing celebrities like Eva Longoria and Spainâ€s Queen Letizia.

How many kids do Lionel Messi and Antonela Roccuzzo have?

Lionel Messi and his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, have three sons, Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro.

Their eldest, Thiago Messi Roccuzzo, was born on November 2, 2012. Messi celebrated his birth with a tattoo of Thiagoâ€s name and handprints on his calf. He has described fatherhood as life-changing, saying, “My son has changed my life more than the Ballon dâ€Or awards have.†Thiago plays soccer like his father and currently represents Inter Miamiâ€s under-12 squad after training with Barcelonaâ€s academy and PSGâ€s youth team.

Their second son, Mateo, was born on September 11, 2015. Messi has said, “Mateo is the same as me when I was little — he doesnâ€t like to lose anything.†After Argentinaâ€s 2022 World Cup loss to Saudi Arabia, Messi revealed Mateo cried in the stands.

The youngest, Ciro, was born on March 10, 2018. Both parents have tattoos of his name. Messi once said, “He copies Mateo a lot, and they go against me a lot.†Despite being the youngest, Ciro already shares his familyâ€s love for football.

FAQs

Q. How old was Lionel Messi when he met his wife?

A. Messi was nine years old when he met Antonela Roccuzzo in Rosario, Argentina.

Q. Why did Lionel Messi reject the €1.5 billion offer from Saudi Arabia?

A. Messi rejected the deal because he wanted to focus on his family and step away from the spotlight. He said he had spent two unhappy years and wanted peace rather than money.

Q. Is Lionel Messi retiring?

A. Messi has no plans to retire as of November 2025. He has extended his playing career and hopes to play in the FIFA World Cup in 2026.

Q. How many goals does Lionel Messi have in his career?

A.Messi has 894 goals in his club and international career.

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Lionel Messiâ€s unannounced return to the Spotify Camp Nou last week, his first visit since departing Barcelona in 2021, set off a wave of nostalgia across Catalonia. The eight-time Ballon dâ€Or winner reportedly arrived without fanfare, his appearance catching even club officials off guard.

“I Have No Regretsâ€: Joan Laporta on Lionel Messi Departure from Barcelona

Barcelona president Joan Laporta, speaking in an interview soon after, confirmed that Messiâ€s visit had not been pre-arranged. “We didnâ€t know he was coming,†Laporta said. “But we were glad to see him back. We love him. This is his home, and he knows it. I think he deserves the best farewell in history.â€

Laporta, who presided over Messiâ€s departure amid the clubâ€s financial turmoil in 2021, defended the decision as unavoidable. “Despite how it happened, I have no regrets. Barça is above anyone else. It was not what we wanted, but it was necessary.â€

Asked about a possible short-term return, Laporta was categorical: “Out of respect for Messi, our players, and our members, itâ€s not the time to speculate with unrealistic scenarios.â€

The president did, however, confirm that the club is preparing a grand tribute once the renovation of Camp Nou is complete. “Itâ€s only fair that Lionel receives the greatest tribute in the world,†Laporta said. “When the new stadium opens, we want him to feel the appreciation he deserves.â€

For a player whose story once defined an era, the visit was fleeting — but, in Barcelonaâ€s long memory, it lingered.

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Inter Miami star Lionel Messi has reiterated his desire to return to live in Barcelona in the future, explaining that his sudden departure from the LaLiga club in 2021 was not how he had imagined leaving.

Messi’s comments come a day after he turned up unexpectedly at Spotify Camp Nou to visit the stadium as it is redeveloped, posting the images on social media with a caption saying he hoped to “return for the goodbye I never got to say as a player.”

“We miss Barcelona a lot,” Messi told Diario Sport. “With the kids, continuously, and my wife, we speak about things in Barcelona. The idea is to return there to live. We have our house there, everything, so that’s what we want.”

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Messi’s Camp Nou drop-in surprised everyone on Sunday. Having arrived in Barcelona ahead of joining up with the Argentina camp in Alicante, he decided to pay an impromptu visit to the arena, sources told ESPN, accompanied by club and international teammate Rodrigo De Paul.

Security staff let him in, where he took the photographs on the pitch which would go on to receive over 22 million likes on Instagram within the first 24 hours of being posted.

It was the first time Messi had been back at Camp Nou since 2021, when he left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain.

“I am really looking forward to getting back to the stadium when it’s finished because I moved to Paris and I never returned to Camp Nou,” he had told Sport in the interview, which was conducted in Miami before the weekend visit.

Lionel Messi arrived in Barcelona ahead of joining up with Argentina in Alicante. captura TV

“And then Barça moved to [the Olympic Stadium in] Montjuïc. It will be strange to go back and see it because the last time I saw it was a long time ago. It will be emotional to get back there and remember everything that was.”

Barça have been playing at the Olympic Stadium since 2023 due to a €1.5 billion refurbishment that is being carried out on Camp Nou.

The club held an open training session there last week in front of 23,000 fans and hope to return before the end of the year when the council grant them a permit to host matches with around 45,000 spectators.

The stadium is unlikely to be completely finished until at least 2027, though, at which point the capacity will have increased to 105,000.

Barça president Joan Laporta has said he would love to inaugurate Camp Nou with a tribute match for Messi. And, while Messi has never strictly commented on that possibility, he does still feel he has unfinished business with the club where he remains the record goal scorer and appearance holder.

“It’s a strange feeling after leaving, because of how it all happened, because I spent my final seasons there playing without fans due to the pandemic,” he said. “After spending all my life there, I didn’t leave as I had dreamed of.

“I imagined myself spending my whole career in Europe in Barcelona and then coming here [to Miami], as I did, because that was my plan. It was what I wanted. So, my goodbye was a little strange, because of the situation.”

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Lionel Messi‘s first-half brace propelled Inter Miami to a 4-0 victory over Nashville SC at Chase Stadium on Saturday to advance in the MLS playoffs for the first time in club history.

Tadeo Allende wrapped up the win with a quickfire double of his own late in the second half, with Messi providing the assist for the second.

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With the win, Miami clinched the Round 1 series 2-1 to progress to the Eastern Conference semifinal and a meeting with No. 2 seed FC Cincinnati.

“I think the team played almost perfectly,” Miami coach Javier Mascherano said. “I’m not saying perfect, there are always things to improve, but we were at a very, very high level in every area, very intense from the first minute, very organized and very good at pressing high.

“The truth is, I’m very grateful to these players because we perfectly understood what was at stake today, the importance of being able to put the club in a place and in a phase it had never been in before, and they really did a very good job.”

Inter Miami entered the game at a disadvantage without Luis Suárez, who watched from the sidelines after receiving a one-game suspension from the MLS disciplinary committee for violent conduct in Game 2 of the series last week.

Despite the absence of the veteran striker, Inter Miami earned the early lead in the 10th minute after Messi took possession of the ball in the final third and fired a shot into the lower-right corner of the goal.

Lionel Messi’s goals took Inter Miami past Nashville in Round 1 of the MLS playoffs. Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Messi then doubled the score late in the second half with the help of Mateo Silvetti, the player whom Mascherano chose to replace Suárez in the starting 11. For Silvetti, a 19-year-old who hails from Messi’s hometown of Rosario, Argentina, it was an extra special moment.

“Maybe right now one doesn’t realize it, but tomorrow, it will hit me [that I assisted Messi for a goal],” Silvetti said. “It’s an honor already to share the day to day with Messi, to have moments, share the field and add minutes with him and all my other teammates that are elite.”

Miami continued to dominate as the game progressed, and Allende scored two goals in a span of five minutes to clinch its ticket to the next round.

Despite Nashville’s 11 shots throughout the match, goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo kept the team’s first clean sheet of the 2025 postseason.

Messi, fresh off winning the Golden Boot during the regular season, finished the three-game series with five goals. He has 12 goals in just seven career matches against Nashville, the most against any MLS opponent since his arrival in July 2023.

Miami, the No. 3 seed in the East, now prepares to face FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium in Ohio for the one-game Eastern Conference semifinal. Inter Miami previously failed to advance out of the first round of the playoffs, falling at the opening hurdle in 2020, 2022 and 2024.

In 2024, Messi’s first full season with the club, Miami was ousted in its opening-round series in three games against Atlanta after winning the Supporters’ Shield.

Mascherano acknowledged the scars of last year’s failure loomed over the squad as it faced another Game 3.

“I’m really happy because I think the team, with its mistakes and its strengths, has always given its all throughout the season,” he said. “We’ve had some very, very good stretches during the regular season and in other competitions as well. And it would have been very unfair to be eliminated at this stage.

“I’m also happy for the club itself because after what happened last year, there was a bit of a feeling in the air, and you could sense that it could happen again. I think now there’s nothing better than looking ahead; that’s all in the past, forgotten, and being able to look forward. I’m not one to show off a lot, nor am I one to go from one extreme to the other. This continues for us.”

Saturday’s victory ensured at least one more game in the career of Messi’s longtime teammates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, who have both announced they will retire at the end of the season.

The Inter Miami-Cincinnati winner will play either top-seeded Philadelphia Union or fifth-seeded New York City FC in the East final.

Information from The Associated Press and ESPN Research was used in this report.

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