(Photo credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images)

Fresh off the announcement that Inter Miami and Lionel Messi had agreed to a three-year contract extension, the South Florida side will begin their 2025 MLS Cup playoff campaign in the opening game of their best-of-three first-round series against Nashville SC at Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Friday night.

In a deal that was reportedly agreed to in principle a month ago, Messi will remain under contract with Miami through 2028. Among other things, that will allow him to remain the face of the team when the Herons open their new Miami Freedom Park stadium next season.

'It makes me really happy to stay here and to continue with this project that, besides being a dream, has become a beautiful reality - playing in this stadium, at Miami Freedom Park,' Messi said at an event at the stadium site announcing the extension. 'Since I arrived in Miami, I've been very happy, so I'm truly glad to keep going here.'

More immediately, he will be trying to help Miami, the third seed in the Eastern Conference, win its first MLS Cup title after it crashed out vs. Atlanta United at this stage of the 2024 playoffs.

All signs are that the 38-year-old Messi is ready. He scored a hat trick and added an assist in a 5-2 win at Nashville on the final day of the regular season to finish as the league's scoring leader with 29 goals and winner of the Golden Boot.

Miami has won five in a row against sixth-seeded Nashville and is unbeaten in eight across all competitions against the Coyotes since Messi joined the team in the summer of 2023.

Messi has scored 10 goals across his seven appearances against Nashville, making the most he has registered against any MLS foe.

But the final score of Saturday's match flattered Miami after Nashville clearly controlled the first half, and entered the break leading 2-1.

And this might be the strongest squad in Nashville's history, led by their own in-form attacking tandem of Sam Surridge (24 goals) and Hany Mukhtar (16 goals).

'I thought (it was) basically a tale of two halves,' said Nashville manager B.J. Callaghan after the match. 'And there's going to be some learning lessons that we take from the second half. But also I think there's going to be some positives that we take from the first half. We're going to blend those together and come out stronger next week.'

--Field Level Media