Lionel Messi, Inter Miami won MLS Cup. What’s next? Who will stay? Who will go?
More than two hours had passed since Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates lifted their first MLS Cup trophy on Saturday following their hard-fought 3-1 win against the Vancouver Whitecaps, and the Chase Stadium field was still littered with confetti.
Meanwhile, in the locker room, which had been prepared with plastic coverings, players drenched in Mumm champagne continued to celebrate, toasting the historic day with Tequila Don Julio 1942, singing, dancing, bouncing up and down.
“Dale campeon! Dale campeon!” [Go Champion!] they chanted, over and over again. It is a popular chant in Argentina and other parts of Latin America, and it was perfect for the occasion.
Three players snuck away from the locker room for a few minutes and surprised coach Javier Mascherano with a shower of Michelob Ultra beer (the one Messi advertises) during his postgame news conference. They ran away laughing and chanting, “Dale campeon! Dale campeon!”
Messi has won eight Ballon d’Or trophies and everything else there is to win in soccer. Barcelona legends Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, who were playing their final game before retiring, have also won most of the most coveted trophies. Same goes for Luis Suarez. Rodrigo De Paul lifted a World Cup trophy with Messi in 2022.
And yet, they were exuberant as they feted their first MLS trophy. Anybody who still thinks the four former Barcelona teammates came to America to relax has not been watching them during the past two years.
They came here to win trophies. They were crushed and humiliated when they exited the playoffs in the first round last year. This year, under the weight of sometimes unrealistic expectations, they managed to finish on top after a grueling 58-game season.
“He’s not just here to enjoy living in Miami,” team co-owner David Beckham said of Messi before the game. “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.”
Mascherano, who also played and won trophies on the biggest stages, was equally jubilant. It showed in each of his goal celebrations, and he explained later that each of those explosions of emotion were partly out of relief after such a long and intense season.
Asked what his next goal is, Mascherano replied: “My next goal is to go on vacation Sunday and be with my family. It’s been a long 11 months, a lot of hard work, 58 official matches plus the preseason, traveling back and forth. That’s what was needed, but now it’s time to rest. We all need it. After that there will be time to organize what’s next.
“I think this should be a boost for the club, not just be satisfied with winning its first league title but aiming for more. I think the club has taken the right steps, not just this year, but in recent years and we should use this momentum for what’s ahead.”
Mascherano signed a three-year contract through 2027 when he was hired, and though his success this season might attract offers from the Argentine league and others, club sources said they expect him to stay at least one more year as the team moves to its new Miami Freedom Park Stadium.
One of the biggest questions heading into postseason is whether Suarez, a month shy of his 39th birthday, will seek another contract or retire. The Uruguayan legend was relegated to the bench for the final three games of the playoffs. Suarez made $1.5 million this season, and if he chooses to return, it would likely be for a reduced role and reduced salary.
Jorge Mas, the team’s managing owner, addressed Suarez’s future before the game.
He said: “Luis deserves the chance to make the decision about his future. He could leave through the big door and celebrate as he should. If he chooses to continue another year, the club is fine with that. I’d love to see him continue. Obviously, then the conversations follow as to how he could return. That is something that would involve the coach and Luis, but the decision is his.”
Other players whose contracts expire this month are Fafa Picault, Ian Fray and Ryan Sailor.
Picault, a member of the Haitian national team, played only limited minutes in recent months and might want to go someplace where he can get more playing time ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Fray, who plays for Jamaica, has reportedly been pursued by some European teams. Asked last week about his future, Fray, who made $150,000 this season, said he was in discussions with Inter Miami about a new contract.
Mas said the team already has replacements in mind, and in contract negotiations, to replace Busquets and Alba.
Seven players are on loan, so the club has to make decisions about whether to exercise purchase options. Those players include Tadeo Allende, Rodrigo De Paul, Allen Obando, Baltasar Rodriguez, Chelo Weigandt, Rocco Rios Novo and Will Yarbrough.
De Paul was a high-profile loan from Atletico Madrid, and he is expected to be signed with Miami through 2029.
Allende, the Argentine winger on loan from Spanish club Celta de Vigo, raised his stock with an MLS-record nine playoff goals. Reports from Argentina say River Plate is also interested in him.
Players who are signed for the 2026 season are: Messi, Tomas Aviles, Telasco Segovia, Mateo Silvetti, Maxi Falcon, Gonzalo Lujan, Noah Allen, Oscar Ustari, Yannick Bright and David Ruiz.
“My dream was to bring a club to this city and be successful,” Beckham said. “Also, bring in the best player in the world. [Saturday night] has been pretty surreal. It’s a moment I’ll cherish forever. Being a player that’s won it and now being an owner that’s won it, with these players and with these fans. We said in 2013 we’d bring the best players to this city and we brought success. This is the icing on the cake and the cherry.”
This story was originally published December 7, 2025 at 3:12 PM with the headline "Lionel Messi, Inter Miami won MLS Cup. What’s next? Who will stay? Who will go?."