"I can play three or four more years. I do it for the love of soccer, I enjoy it." That's Lionel Messi — 38 years old, 86 goals in 100 MLS appearances — telling Antonio Cassano exactly what anyone betting against his longevity didn't want to hear.
Cassano visited Inter Miami's training base recently and spent nearly two hours with Messi and his family. He recounted the conversation on the Viva El Futbol podcast, clearly still processing the experience. "He's the only person that, when I see him, I can't speak, I can't say anything," said the former Italy international, who spent plenty of his own career surrounded by elite footballers.
What this means for 2026 — and beyond
Messi's contract at Inter Miami runs through 2028. If he's playing until 41, that contract isn't just a commercial arrangement — it starts to look like a genuine football commitment. More importantly for Argentina fans, it almost certainly puts him at the 2026 World Cup, which is being held across North America. Scaloni hasn't confirmed his squad, and Messi hasn't publicly committed, but "three or four more years" makes the conversation fairly straightforward.
For anyone watching Inter Miami's outright or playoff odds, this matters. A fit, motivated Messi at 38-41 is still the difference between a contender and a pretender in MLS. The 86 goals and 45 assists across 100 appearances aren't charity numbers — they're the product of someone still operating at a level the league hasn't seen before and won't see again for a long time.
Cassano also asked him the inevitable question — whether he understood he was the greatest player in history. Messi's answer was characteristically flat: "Whether I'm No. 1, No. 2, No. 5, No. 10 or No. 15, what difference does it make to me? It changes nothing for me. I don't listen to whether I'm first, second or third. I have passion and love for soccer."
The immediate picture at Inter Miami
None of this changes the fact that Inter Miami just lost 4-3 to local rivals Orlando SC — and Messi's next chance to respond comes against Toronto on May 10. Long-term declarations are all well and good. Right now, the Herons need to sort out a defence that's shipping goals and leaning too heavily on Messi to bail them out going the other way.
Three or four more years of Messi is a gift. Wasting them with a leaky backline would be something else entirely.
