Lionel Messi Awarded Key to City of Miami in Photo, Inter Miami Star 'Honored'
Lionel Messi can add the key to the city of Miami to his trophy case.
Miami mayor Francis Suarez gifted the key to the city to the Inter Miami CF star Wednesday and said, "I have had the wish to give this [key] to you for all that you've done for our grand city, our country and the world of football, thank you," per ESPN's Lizzy Becherano.
Messi responded and said, "Thank you, I feel very honored by this. It's true that, as I just said, we feel very loved, very grateful, very happy to be living in this city, and to be able to have this distinction for me is a great honor, so thank you."
He arrived in Miami as arguably the greatest player in soccer history in July 2023 shortly after he led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title.
While he had little left to prove in the sport, he wasted no time establishing himself as a star in Major League Soccer by leading Inter Miami to its first trophy in franchise history in the Leagues Cup during his first year.
From there, he won the 2024 MLS MVP as Inter Miami won the Supporters' Shield for the best record in the regular season. He continued his incredible pace in 2025 as the Golden Boot winner who could be well on his way to back-to-back MVP awards.
About the only thing missing from his MLS resume at this point is an MLS Cup, as Inter Miami was stunned in the first round of the playoffs last season.
He has a chance to change that in the coming weeks, though, with his team seeded third in the Eastern Conference bracket and preparing to face sixth-seeded Nashville in the decisive Game 3 of their best-of-three first-round series on Saturday.
If Inter Miami wins that game, it will enter the knockout portion of the bracket and be three wins away from an MLS Cup title.
Even if Messi doesn't lift the trophy this year, he will have plenty more chances in Miami after signing a three-year deal to remain with the club through the 2028 season.
