The Argentine Embassy: Inside Messi’s $1.45 Billion Miami Dynasty

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Hooligan Soccer

·19 February 2026

The Argentine Embassy: Inside Messi’s $1.45 Billion Miami Dynasty

Walk into the Inter Miami locker room today and you might forget you’re in Florida. Between the shared gourds of maté tea and the thick accents from Rosario, the club has essentially become an Argentine colony.

This Saturday, Miami kicks off the 2026 season against LAFC at the historic L.A. Coliseum. But this isn’t just a game. It’s the start of a year where “The Herons” aren’t just looking to play—they’re looking to dominate. With a squad of eight Argentine players and a coaching staff with six Argentinians (including head coach Javier Mascherano) the message is clear: Inter Miami wants to win it all (again)

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The Billion-Dollar Transformation

When Lionel Messi first arrived in 2023, Inter Miami was a struggling team with a big dream. Today, they are a global powerhouse worth $1.45 billion.

Messi didn’t just bring millions of fans with him, he brought the team trophies. In just over two years, the club has won the 2023 Leagues Cup, the 2024 Supporters’ Shield, and, most importantly, the 2025 MLS Cup. They enter this season as the team to beat.

Knowing the project is a success, Messi recently renewed his contract through December 2028. He’s sticking around to lead the team into Miami Freedom Park, their brand-new, $1 billion stadium set to open on April 4th.

A New Argentine Core

The “Barcelona 2.0” era is officially over. Following the 2025 title, club legends Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets moved on. In their place, Miami has built a younger, grittier “South American Core.”

The club went on a massive spending spree, dropping over $41M in transfer fees since November. Their first move was to lock down Rodrigo De Paul, who was on loan from Atlético Madrid last year. The 31 year old midfielder is Messi’s best friend and “bodyguard” from the national team.

They also added a wave of (mostly Argentinian) talent to support the GOAT:

Germán Berterame and Tadeo Allende to lead the attack.
David Ayala and Facundo Mura to solidify the midfield and defense.
Defender Sergio Reguilón and goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair may not be Argentine but they are among the best in their positions.

MLS salary data for 2026 hasn’t been released yet, but expect Inter Miami to be the most expensive roster in league history.

The World Cup Question

For Messi, 2026 isn’t just an MLS season, it’s the year he decides his international future. The World Cup is coming to North America this summer, and everyone wants to know: will he play?

After signing his extension, Messi was honest about the challenge:

“Playing at the World Cup 2026? I don’t know yet,” Messi said. “I’ll evaluate that day by day. I’ll see if I can really be at 100%, if I’m able to be useful for the group, for the national team, and then I’ll make my decision… being able to defend [the title] on the pitch again would be amazing.”

The Pressure to Win

The club’s owners haven’t been shy about their goals. While defending the MLS Cup is a priority, the big target is the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Winning that would put Miami on the world stage and secure them a berth in the next Club World Cup against the giants of Europe and around the globe. In 2024, they needed a special invitation to participate.

The “Messi Effect” has turned Miami into a team that expects to win every single time they step on the pitch. On Saturday night in Los Angeles, we will see if Messi’s hand-picked squad is ready to carry the weight of being the most expensive and ambitious experiment in MLS history.