Neither Lionel Messi nor Argentina would benefit from a new Inter Miami contract - but Barcelona homecoming ahead of 2026 World Cup makes perfect sense

Those rumours were sparked by ESPNArgentina's Esteban Edul, who claimed Messi is considering a move to a more competitive league once his current contract at Inter Miami expires in December, so he can have the best possible preparation for the World Cup. But the truth of the matter may not be that clear-cut.

Spanish journalist Guillem Ballague has suggested that "nobody knows, least of all, Messi himself" if the Miami captain will even play at the 2026 tournament. "At the moment, he is just taking it game by game, tournament by tournament," Balague added to BBC Sport.

"If he renews and stays in America, he'll evaluate the situation when he needs to, but for the time being he is just taking things step by step. Everyone involved wants to see him leading Argentina at the World Cup in America in a year's time. But he has not indicated to anyone what his final decision is."

BBC Sport has since reported that Messi is open to signing an extension with Miami, who are confident that negotiations are heading in the right direction. But if Messi does decide to appear at his sixth World Cup, and he's serious about making a decisive impact, it would make little sense for him to stay in MLS, which is still a long way behind the most competitive leagues in Europe.

That fact was underlined by how Miami, LAFC and the Seattle Sounders fared at the first edition of the expanded Club World Cup. Miami beat Porto 2-1 in the group stage, courtesy of a sublime Messi free-kick, to become the first club in CONCACAF history to defeat a European opponent in an official competition, and the first from America to win a Club World Cup match, while earning draws against Al Ahly and Palmeiras to secure passage to the round of 16.

That was also a first for any team in MLS history, but LAFC and the Sounders finished bottom of their respective groups without a single win to their name. LAFC's failure was especially disappointing given their favourable draw alongside Chelsea and two very beatable sides in Flamengo and Tunisian outfit Esperance Tunis.

Miami's humiliating thrashing at the hands of PSG also completely overshadowed their record-breaking achievements. The Sounders only lost 2-0 to Luis Enrique's side in their group clash, but Miami were four goals down by half-time in what turned out to be the mismatch of the tournament so far.

It would likely have been even worse for Javier Mascherano's side had PSG not taken their foot off the gas after the restart, too, as Luis Enrique made five substitutions before the 70-minute mark. Miami didn't even register a shot until the 50th minute - a deflected effort from Messi - such was PSG's dominance.

Miami's Club World Cup campaign cannot be painted as a success after such a chastening defeat, and it would be perfectly understandable if it has left Messi contemplating his future.

Indeed, it was all too much for one of Messi's former colleagues to bear. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who played alongside the Argentina icon at Barcelona in 2009-10, told Foot Mercato immediately after the final whistle put Miami out of their misery against PSG: "Messi plays with statues, not team-mates. He's surrounded by players who run as if they were carrying bags of cement."

Ibrahimovic added: "This isn't the Messi I know. If you put him in a real team, he'd go all-out. There are no coaches, no stars, not even players who understand how to move without the ball. If he were on a real team, any great team, you'd see the real lion. Messi plays alone because he loves the game, because he can still do what 99 percent of players can't. But this isn't the Messi I know."

Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets complete Miami's contingent of Barcelona legends, with another in Mascherano currently serving as head coach, but they have precious little star quality in their ranks beyond that, and PSG ruthlessly exposed their glaring weaknesses.

Ibrahimovic is right: Messi is a big fish in a very small pond and he's having to shoulder way too much responsibility. Messi needs to be a key part of a cohesive unit to reach his maximum, with fellow world-class players to bounce off, not a messiah-like figure who is quite literally expected to win games on his own.

If the "real lion" is to roar again in 2026, Messi has to return to Europe, or more specifically Barcelona. It's certainly difficult to imagine him representing any other European club, especially after his underwhelming two-year stint at PSG.

There is still a real sense of unfinished business between Barca and Messi, too. La Masia's ultimate academy jewel left Camp Nou without a proper goodbye in 2021 because the Blaugrana couldn't afford to renew his contract after being plunged into an unprecedented financial crisis by former president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

It was a terribly sad way for Messi's 21-year association with the club to end, not only because the Argentine maestro had smashed the club's all-time scoring record while helping to deliver 10 La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues, but also because he still had so much more to give. There is, though, still time for Barca to put things right.

New reports in Spain have suggested that Joan Laporta, who was elected as Barca president for a second time shortly after Messi's exit, wants to bring the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner back on an initial six-month contract in January. If Messi leaves Miami at the end of the year, Barca can sign him on a free transfer, so it would be a surprise if the possibility hasn't at least been discussed in the club boardroom.

Staying within La Liga's wage limits is still a concern for Barca, but Laporta is said to be willing to move heaven and earth to arrange Messi's homecoming so that it coincides with the full reopening of the renovated Camp Nou.

This wouldn't be the first time that Barca have tried to re-sign Messi. Laporta made a big play for his signature before he left PSG in the summer of 2023, and the World Cup winner gave the green light for the move. In the end, however, it just wasn't feasible for the club from a financial standpoint.

"My goal was to come back to my home, where everything started. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible," Messi admitted in a sit-down with the YouTube channel 'Simplemente Fútbol' after joining Inter Miami instead. At that point, the Barca legend had seemingly accepted his time at the very top of the game was over.

"Being able to say that I have achieved everything in football is something really valuable," he added. "As I always say, on a collective level I have been lucky enough to win everything at club and international level with Barcelona, and to achieve it also with the national team." Two years on, though, Barca are in a somewhat more stable position after pulling a few economic levers, and Messi's outlook may have changed.

He could add a final glorious chapter to his legacy that would silence the remaining few who question his standing as the GOAT. Plenty of criticism was laid at Messi's door for Barcelona's failure in the Champions League during his final few years at the club, but he might just be the final piece of the puzzle to get Hansi Flick's side over the line next season.

If he managed that, Messi would then be ready to lead Argentina again on the World Cup stage with half a season of elite football under his belt, instead of more lower-intensity exploits in MLS that leave him short on sharpness.

Messi's old No.10 shirt would not be waiting for him at Barcelona, though. That's because 17-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal is about to inherit it from Ansu Fati, who has just completed a loan move to Ligue 1 outfit Monaco.

But that's probably a good thing for Messi, for the same reason he wouldn't be guaranteed to start every single game under Flick. Barcelona's attack is already the best in Europe, as the stats from 2024-25 prove, so there won't be as much pressure on Messi as there was in his first spell at the club. His job would be to help Yamal, Raphinha and Co hit even greater heights as both a mentor and link-man.

Flick could put Messi into the No.10 rotation alongside Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez, ideally opting for the Argentine in the most important games while managing his minutes carefully in the others. That's the tactic Miami have utilised to good effect over the past year as Messi has dealt with several niggling injuries, and there is no reason it can't also work for Barca.

It would be a 'Last Dance' that could genuinely rival Michael Jordan's at the Chicago Bulls. The prospect of Messi feeding Polish goal machine Robert Lewandowski and going into 'Joga Bonito' mode with Yamal, just as he and Ronaldinho did when he was starting out at Barca, is a mouth-watering one.

That would be a proper way for Messi to use up the last of his Godly footballing superpowers, even if it brings his retirement forward. Argentina won't hold onto their World Cup crown with the Messi who can only operate at 50% of his usual capacity at Miami, but they'll be firm favourites if Barca give him the platform to let rip for the final time.