The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Postgame Show: Ain't No Changin' It with Za'Darius Smith

Episode Date: July 8, 2025

Mike Ryan has done some reporting on Lionel Messi's contract situation with Inter Miami, and he discusses all of the possibilities for the end of his career with Greg Cote. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Precious little conversation about the Club World Cup. We had an amazing upset with Al-Halal upsetting Manchester City. We have brilliant runs by Brazilian clubs, one of which, Fluminense, playing Chelsea today in one semi-final, the other semi-final, Real Madrid versus PSG. But I want to take the opportunity to talk about domestic soccer, both with a gold cup, Pochettino. There are signs of encouragement against a much better Mexican team. Remember, not the A-plus side or best available side that the United States could have sent out there. Seeds of what Pochettino's vision is going to be. But I want to talk about Leo Messi. We don't talk about this guy enough. He's the biggest superstar, even though LeBron's played

down here. Leo Messi is by far the biggest superstar we've ever had play locally. He had, arguably, his most impressive goal as a member of Inter Miami. There've been the long distance free kick goals have been a thing of beauty, but in terms of actual skill, dribbling through traffic the way that he did against Montreal was unbelievable.

There's a player that is 38 years old, headed into an expiring contract. His contract expires in December. What do you think is going to happen there because I finally put on my reporting hat and started poking around. What does this club think Messi is going to do? And it almost should go without saying the ball is entirely in Messi's court. Inter Miami feel very good about the offer that they have to him. That being said, he could renegotiate and stay in Inter Miami. The MLS season ends in December. Does this player, who is 38 years old, take the opportunity to rest

in advance of next summer's World Cup, his final World Cup as reigning champion with Argentina? Or does he go to a European club and continue to stay sharp and inform as that tournament approaches? We've had several high profile designated players in MLS take the opportunity to go somewhere else in Europe and make sure they stay sharp. What do you think is going to happen, Greg? Is this an opportunity for him to make sure that everybody knows he's the loyalty in Miami, he's going to be there for the start of their campaign in the news, in the new stadium, or does he take

the opportunity to say, let me have the best of both worlds, or does he leave entirely? I don't think he leaves entirely. He has a vested interest to stay, to stay through the first season of the new stadium. He's got an ownership stake in this whole thing. MLS has a stake in him. They want him to stay. There's every reason why he would re-up for one more season and christen the new stadium I don't see him playing in Europe and preparatory to the next World Cup but he's still at that state like Le

Brown we were just talking about he's still at that stage where he can do whatever he wants and his brilliance you're right we don't talk about messing up his brilliance on this second goal it it's astounding. He took on six dudes. It's just absolutely incredible. The speed he has in short bursts at his age is beyond remarkable. It's incredible. It was a brilliant goal there. And not unlike LeBron James, there is a narrative out there. There have been quotes once he had the heartbreaking decision, not entirely his, the financial situation surrounding Barcelona helped nudge him towards PSG is, the prevailing thought among Cepham base

is that he will come back one day and put a bow on his career over at Barcelona. The dream is that he closes his career. There's also a prevailing theory that he ends his career in Argentina for his boyhood club. Does that keep him in form enough for the world cup? I don't know. Does he try something brand new? Saudi is going to be offering him more money than you can imagine. However, they did that the last time and he didn't really entertain that at all.

So I am curious. Inter Miami really doesn't know what he's going to do in terms of that offseason in the MLS, December to June. How are you going to stay sharp? You're going to play some international fixtures with Argentina. Is that enough? Do you want to stay sharper? Do you want to stay informed? Is rest the way to go? I don't think he's fully decided on what approach he has during that few months time in the lead up to the World Cup. I do know that Inter Miami feels like they have a very aggressive, very good offer in front of him. They feel good about where things are at. If you want some other signs,

his friends have extended with the club down here, Jordi Alba most recently, there are a lot of signs along with what you said, the ownership stake in the new stadium opening that would suggest he is going to be with Inter Miami for at least one more season. However, there is the chance that there could be a pit stop along the way. The one thing I would rule out is the Saudi option. He's already turned that down once and moreover, I think if he takes that, he's seen as following

his archrival nemesis, Ronaldo, who's done the saudi thing it is still doing it surprisingly enough uh... so i i i think there's a for me there's a strong bet these will play one more season and christen that new stadium in his vested interest uh... in and i also wonder if the world the world cup is as much a priority as it was last time when he when he won

he's won that now so i don't know that that's his priority in the way that it used to be that look he doesn't have the monkey on his back the way that it was before but it will be in all likelihood his final World Cup I can't imagine sure not being his final one they are reigning champions it's a World Cup that is in the Americas if you've seen from this club World Cup especially with how the Brazilian sides have competed in there it's advantageous to a team from South America. I think he's going to go all out in trying to win that. Argentina's still a very good team, but I'm curious to know what he does. A lot of miles on that body, a lot of cup competitions, a lot of heat he's been playing

in here. The MLS season, they got a league's got a leagues cup coming up brutal congestion with those fixtures maybe just wants to take time off he earns whatever he wants including the time off you know that he's gonna be ready for the world cup no matter what he does uh... after the mls season and and to your point

i think there is a good likelihood that after one more season with inner miami he has what probably will be seen as a ceremonial final season back home in barcelona