Rodrigo De Paul was one of Inter Miami‘s most high-profile recent signings, with Lionel Messi‘s influence playing a significant role in bringing him to the club. However, reports have emerged suggesting that De Paul’s stay in South Florida may have a built-in expiration date, with the Argentine midfielder planning to leave once Messi hangs up his boots.
The two players first formed a bond as teammates with the Argentina national team, a friendship that has endured to this day. When De Paul parted ways with Atletico Madrid last summer, Inter Miami moved quickly to secure one of the most expensive signings in MLS history, but it appears the board may eventually be bracing for a double departure down the line.
As reported by ESPN Argentina‘s Tomas Davila, De Paul has made a personal decision that he will leave Inter Miami once Lionel Messi retires from professional soccer. While that timeline is not in his hands, it is a development the club’s front office will need to keep in mind as it plans for the future.
Davila, who is also a well-connected insider at Racing Club de Avellaneda, reports that the motivation behind De Paul’s eventual exit is a long-awaited return to his boyhood club. An academy product of Racing, De Paul left in 2016 and has spent his career since in Europe, across spells at Valencia, Udinese and Atletico Madrid, before his arrival in MLS, with a homecoming always on his mind.
Rodrigo De Paul #7 of Inter Miami CF celebrates with teammate Lionel Messi #10.
Currently 31 years old, De Paul is set to line up alongside Messi at the 2026 World Cup as Argentina defend their title, in what could be his final major tournament in the Albiceleste jersey. His contract with Inter Miami runs through December 2029, by which point he will be 35, but it is increasingly clear that Fort Lauderdale will not be his final destination in professional soccer.
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When could De Paul leave?
Whether on the Argentina national team or at Inter Miami, Messi and De Paul share a connection that extends well beyond the pitch, and the report suggests the midfielder intends to follow his captain’s lead when it comes to the timing of his own exit.
Messi is currently balancing his first half of the 2026 MLS season with preparations for the upcoming World Cup, though the physical demands of professional soccer at the highest level will inevitably catch up with him in the years ahead. His current deal with Inter Miami runs through December 2028, when he will turn 41.
If Messi chooses to retire at the end of that contract, De Paul could walk away alongside him, cutting his own stay at Inter Miami short by at least a year despite being the club’s third-highest-paid player. Should Messi decide to call it a career even earlier, De Paul’s timeline would shorten accordingly, but either way, his time in Fort Lauderdale appears to have an expiration date firmly attached.
