Why will Lionel Messi still shine until he is 41 years old?

Lionel Messi's move to MLS from PSG in 2023 was widely seen as the start of the twilight of his career, but even away from top European football and no longer on the Ballon d'Or shortlist, Messi is still Messi.

And that will continue after he signed a contract extension with Inter Miami this week, which will keep the 38-year-old at the MLS club through 2028.

Last year, he won the MLS Player of the Year award after scoring 20 goals and assisting 16, helping Inter Miami lead the Eastern Conference for the first time. This season, Messi finished the regular season as the top scorer with 29 goals, his most in a season since 2018/19 when he played for Barca.

Messi received the MLS Golden Boot award.

Although Miami finished third in the Eastern Conference (just one point behind the Philadelphia Union), Messi and his teammates will be hoping to improve on last season. They will face Nashville in the first round of the playoffs, a team they have beaten both home and away, including a 5-2 win on the final day with a hat trick from Messi.

Messi was always like that, always shining when the team needed him most. Miami won 6 of the last 8 games of the regular season, and Messi scored 10 goals, assisted 9 in the series, including 5 of the decisive goals.

That said, Miami have worked hard to create a quality platform for Messi to shine. They have a quality midfield to win the ball back so Messi doesn’t have to drop deep. The arrival of Rodrigo De Paul in July on a half-season loan from Atletico is a clear example of how Miami has built their team. Coach Javier Mascherano has modeled the system that helped Argentina win the 2022 World Cup, with De Paul freeing Messi from defensive constraints. Messi only had 43 defensive actions last season, fewer than his total goals and assists for the year (58). This keeps the 38-year-old always ready to receive the ball and move forward.

Messi has created 58 goals in 2025 for Miami.

Messi leads MLS in shots, key passes and key chances created, and has outscored his expected goals (xG) by 6. Another stat that highlights Messi’s influence in Miami is that the team averages nearly 10 shots per game with Messi involved.

Thanks to Messi, Miami has become one of the most explosive attacking teams in MLS history over the past two seasons. They scored 79 goals in the 2024 regular season, and 81 this year, more than any other team in the past six years.

If Miami does a good job of optimizing Messi, it wouldn't be surprising if the Argentine superstar continues to play mesmerizing football until he's 41, and David Beckham's team continues to enjoy the benefits he brings.