Lionel Messi is ready to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo by playing into his 40s, with it reported that he will extend his Inter Miami contract to 2028.

Lionel Messi had two assists, including one in the final seconds of the match, to help lift Inter Miami over Atlas 2-1 in their Leagues Cup opener on Wednesday night. It was Messi's first game since he and teammate Jordi Alba were suspended one match by Major League Soccer for skipping its All-Star game.

The Leagues Cup makes its return this week, first with a batch of matches on Tuesday that included Toluca's win over reigning champions Columbus Crew on penalties. The action continues on Wednesday and Thursday, much of the attention on Inter Miami as superstar Lionel Messi welcomes another friend to South Florida.