Inter Miami star Lionel Messi says MLS needs to loosen its restrictions on how clubs build their rosters in order to grow soccer's footprint in the United States.

The 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs are here, and Lionel Messi is red hot as Inter Miami enters the postseason in search of their first MLS Cup.

For much of Messi’s career, he carried the burden of matching Maradona’s triumphs. It wasn’t until he led Argentina to conquer its third World Cup in 2022—the country’s first since ’86—that he was finally able to escape Maradona’s shadow in his home country.

Lionel Messi discussed several topics in an interview on "NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas" on Oct. 27, including his potential World Cup decision.

It's a do-or-die wildcard round followed by the best-of-three first round as MLS begins the march towards a champions

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were both named as finalists for the 2025 FIFPRO Men’s World 11. The two greats, who both missed out on nominations for the 2025 Ballon d’Or award, stand among the biggest superstars in the game on the 26-player shortlist for this year’s World 11.

In a candid chat, Messi revealed that the legendary Diego Maradona remains above all of his sporting idols while shedding light on the Napoli legend’s impact not just on Argentine football but on the sport as a whole.

He was one of the greatest players of his era: Stanley Matthews was a legend of English football, making his debut for Stoke in 1932 and ending his career with the same club in 1965, at the age of 50. That same year, he also made his last appearance for the England national team.

The experienced soccer player emphasizes that they are the reason why the competitiveness in tennis has increased and made it much more exciting.