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Inter Miami were on the receiving end of a 3-0 defeat against Orlando City in the Major League Soccer on May 18 at Chase Stadium.
Despite starting the MLS with an undefeated streak, Inter Miami have been underwhelming as of late, winning only one out of their last five league matches. The Herons also got eliminated from the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal.
Inter Miami currently stand sixth in the MLS table with 22 points in 13 matches. Amid their recent struggles, fans are also worried about Lionel Messi's future at the club.
The Argentine icon's current contract with Inter Miami is set to expire by the end of this year. Last month, several reports suggested that Messi is set to sign an extension valid until the end of the 2026 season, with the club's co-owner, Jorge Mas, assuring fans the same.
"The stars are aligning for something great, for a beautiful future for the club and for Lionel. It’s solely his decision. I expect that within 60-90 days, we’ll have to determine all of this. My hope has always been - and everything we’re doing - is to see Messi play at our new stadium in 2026. Hopefully, that happens," said Mas.
However, Messi's recent comments have sparked doubts over his future at Inter Miami.
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What did Lionel Messi say?
Following Inter Miami's defeat against Orlando City on Sunday, Messi was approached by an MLS reporter, who asked the 37-year-old about his future plans at the club.
Messi gave a very brief response (comments via Mundo Deportivo) with a faint smile and then walked towards the locker room.
"I don’t know anything," said the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.
While Messi's response was not a comforting one for the fans, Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano mentioned in his post-match conference that they are hopeful of having 'updates in the coming weeks' about the star forward.
"Signing Jordi [Alba] for the next two years is important to show stability, and we hope to have updates in the coming weeks regarding Leo, because it would be very important for the club, for the fans, and also for MLS," said the Argentine manager.
With a little over seven months left in his current contract, it remains to be seen if Messi decides to continue with Inter Miami or part ways with the MLS club.
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