Lionel Messi is 'considering a loan away from Inter Miami ahead of 2026 World Cup as he wants regular high-level games ahead of Argentina duty'
Messi is currently plying his trade in America with Inter Miami, having played for the MLS side for two years.
However, according to a report from ESPN Argentina, he is now considering a loan to a more competitive league next season in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup to be held across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Messi's current deal at Inter Miami expires at the end of the calendar year, but the American outfit are keen to extend his contract beyond that date.
But any agreement could see the 38-year-old spend a part of his contract on loan overseas with his focus also on captaining Argentina to a successful defence of the World Cup they won in Qatar in 2022 - although any possible destination is mere speculation at this point.
Messi's talents are synonymous with Barcelona with him the catalyst for their dominance across his 17 seasons there. However, a return to the Catalan club would be unlikely due to their financial situation as well as his difficult relationship with club president Joan Laporta.
Reports claim he would prefer to play in a more competitive league ahead of defending Argentina's crown next summer in Canada, Mexico and the United States of America
A return to Paris Saint-Germain would also appear unlikely too with the European champions centering their success on the youthful exuberance on the likes of Desire Doue, for example.
Manchester City have twice had a vested interest in the Argentina superstar but it remains to be seen if they would try for a third time - despite Messi's strong relationship with manager Pep Guardiola.
Messi was powerless to prevent his old French side from knocking out Inter Miami of the Club World Cup last-16 stage at the weekend.
'Today marks the end of the Club World Cup for us with a defeat against the current Champions League champions, where there are people I appreciate and I was happy to see again,' he reflected on Instagram post-match.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
29 minutes ago
- The Independent
Hamzah Sheeraz in line for mega fight after Edgar Berlanga test, Frank Warren predicts
Hamzah Sheeraz and Edgar Berlanga will step into the ring on 12 July at the Louis Armstrong Stadium, as the co-main event alongside Shakur Stevenson vs William Zepeda. Sheeraz is coming off an unsuccessful first world title challenge against Carlos Adames at middleweight, after he claimed a draw, which many protested he was lucky to get. He has since moved his training camp to Dublin to develop under the sought-after Andy Lee. Meanwhile, Berlanga made a successful comeback since losing to Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez by knocking out Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz in the first round earlier this year, to set up this grudge match with Sheeraz. Sheeraz's promoter, Frank Warren, has weighed in on the card and the circumstances surrounding his British fighter's sudden move up to super-middleweight. Sheeraz, 26, put on an uncharacteristically quiet performance against Adames, and Warren sides with the masses, believing that he 'was fortunate to get the decision'. But the Hall of Fame Promoter told The Ring that, behind closed doors, his fighter had been struggling with the weight-cut and a hand injury which led to his dampened skills on the night. This has not affected the Queensberry Boss's confidence in Sheeraz, who will step up to super-middleweight and straight into the ring against a world-title challenger. He said that Sheeraz is a true fighting man, wasting no time in targeting the top of the 168lb division Warren said to The Ring: 'He's gone straight into the deep end. He's not just fighting a good fighter but fighting him in his backyard. No messing about – [he's] going for it.' Coming off a lacklustre draw, it would be easy to stack some pressure on Sheeraz to get a win in this fight, or he could find himself in a career purgatory – but Warren doesn't see it this way. He believes the pressure is all on Berlanga. Warren said: 'I think the pressure is on Berlanga, he's the home fighter, he's got the guy fighting up [in weight]. A lot of people fancy him to win the fight, so the pressure is on him to deliver.' This fight could have world-title implications for the super-middleweight division as Saudi adviser Turki Alalshikh has offered the winner a shot at Canelo if he comes through his undisputed showdown with Terence Crawford. Sheeraz's promoter does not want to distract his man by looking too far ahead, but believes it is a good motivator for Sheeraz to put on his best performance to date and dispel any doubt over his pedigree. The Queensberry founder said: 'He's got to put all that [a potential Canelo fight] in the back of his mind. For the winner of the Berlanga-Hamzah fight, which I believe will be Hamzah, it's a great carrot for him.'
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
What the revived Trump-Musk feud is doing to Tesla stocks
Tesla 's stock price dropped over five percent in premarket trading early on Tuesday after President Donald Trump suggested reviewing government subsidies for Elon Musk 's companies. The decline occurred during a renewed public feud between Trump and Musk, which began with Musk's criticism of Trump's congressional spending package and his threat to form a new political party. Trump stated that Musk's companies received more subsidies than any other individual and proposed that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) investigate these costs. Musk responded to Trump's comments by advocating for the complete removal of all subsidies, stating, "I am literally saying CUT IT ALL. Now."
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Zlatan Ibrahimovic calls Lionel Messi a 'GHOST' as he hits out at Inter Miami 'circus' after Club World Cup exit
Former PSG, Barcelona and AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has labeled Inter Miami a 'circus' full of 'statues' that even Lionel Messi cannot hope to carry to glory. Ibrahimovic, an ex-teammate of Messi having spent two seasons together at Barcelona, was quick to shift the blame away from the Argentine following the embarrassment of their Club World Cup last- 16 thrashing. Questioned on Messi's failure to provide his usual magical impact during Sunday's defeat, the Swede responded: 'Messi only plays because he loves the game, because he can still do what 99 percent of players can't!' 'But he's surrounded by those who run as if they were carrying bags of cement! There are no coaches, no stars, not even players who understand how to move without the ball!' The ex-LA Galaxy forward and self-proclaimed 'best player in MLS history' Ibrahimovic's comments reflect his long-standing disregard for the quality of the MLS, labelling the 2024 Supporters' Shield champions Inter Miami as not a 'real team'. The Inter Miami side contains some of the former best players in European football in Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. Ibrahimovic's judgement on the team's lack of 'stars' without Messi offers a powerful ruling on the lack of impact these former greats have had and will surely serve to strengthen the age-old view of the league as little more than a retirement home for ageing European superstars. However, Messi wasn't completely exempt from responsibility for the PSG thrashing. According to Ibrahimovic, Messi has become a 'big ghost who plays in a circus' during his time at the Herons, unable to produce his maximum level of performance in a squad that fails to match the eight-time Ballon d'Or winners' world class credentials. Such a damning verdict on Inter Miami's lack of quality without their star player will certainly raise further questions as to where Messi might be playing his football next season. With the 2026 World Cup just around the corner, Ibrahimovic's comments will only add more fuel to the growing rumors of a potential loan move away from America as the 2022 World Cup winner looks to best prepare himself to help defend Argentina's title.
