Major League Soccer

Bar Reset To A Higher Level: Lionel Messi And Inter Miami Set Sights On Bigger Glory In 2026

Inter Miami are champions of Major League Soccer — but according to co-owner Jorge Mas, this is only the beginning.

Fresh off an epic MLS Cup triumph, Mas has sent a clear warning to domestic rivals: the bar has been reset to a higher level, and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami are coming for even more silverware in 2026.


Messi Leads Inter Miami To The Summit Again

The 2025 season once again belonged to Lionel Messi.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner capped another historic campaign by leading Inter Miami to their first-ever MLS Cup, adding it to an already glittering collection that includes the Leagues Cup and Supporters’ Shield.

Inter Miami edged out Vancouver Whitecaps in a tense final at Chase Stadium, a fitting farewell to their current home before moving into a new purpose-built stadium.

Messi, who has now signed a three-year contract extension, is not slowing down — and neither is the club.


Squad Evolution Already Underway

Change is inevitable, even at the top.

Veterans Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba have retired, while Luis Suárez could soon follow. But Inter Miami are not standing still. Former Real Madrid and Tottenham defender Sergio Reguilón has already arrived, and reports suggest Robert Lewandowski is firmly on the club’s radar.

The message is clear: this is a reload, not a rebuild.


Jorge Mas: “The Best Version Is Yet To Come”

Mas summed up the club’s ambition in a powerful social media post that reflected both pride and hunger:

“What an epic run to become MLS Cup champions… our last nine games were an example of the excellence we expect… but the best version of your Inter Miami is yet to come.

We cannot and will not stay static… our primary goal is to win the ConcaChampions and qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup.

Stay tuned as the bar is reset to a higher level.”

Those words underline Inter Miami’s shift from MLS contenders to continental and global aspirants.


Beckham: “A Dream You Couldn’t Write”

Co-owner David Beckham, who previously won the MLS Cup as a player with LA Galaxy, described the moment as one of the greatest of his career.

“To have won it as a player and now as an owner — you couldn’t have written it.

I promised America and MLS that we would bring the best player, and we did. Now we’ve had success.”

Beckham also reaffirmed his long-standing vision of growing football in the United States, calling the triumph a landmark moment not just for Inter Miami, but for MLS as a whole.


What Comes Next For Messi And Inter Miami?

With domestic dominance secured, the focus now shifts to CONCACAF Champions Cup glory and a place at the FIFA Club World Cup.

Messi remains the heartbeat. The ambition is louder. The expectations are higher.

Inter Miami are no longer just a project — they are a standard.

And as Jorge Mas boldly declared, the bar has officially moved.


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