Ex-Argentina international DarÃo Benedetto has suggested that he is open to reuniting with La Albiceleste captain Lionel Messi at Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit Inter Miami.
Benedetto, who is adept at operating either as a number nine or a number 10, is currently on the lookout for his third team this year. He plied his trade for Paraguayan outfit Olimpia in the first six months of 2025 before joining Argentine team Newell’s Old Boys earlier this July. However, he terminated his contract with Newell’s at the end of October.
DarÃo Benedetto Reveals Wish To Play Alongside Lionel Messi
During a recent interaction on ESPN Argentina‘s F90 program, Benedetto opened up on his future after revealing he was recently on the verge of retirement.
“I got fed up with certain bad habits that football has taken on today. Troubles, business dealings… but I’ll always love it because I’m very grateful to football,” Benedetto said. “I can’t believe the career I’ve had… now I’m almost retired. But I’ve decided, through therapy, to extend it a little longer and retire on a high note,” he concluded.
Revealing his plans of continuing to play at club level, the former Olympique de Marseille and Elche CF star said, “I’m going to lean towards clubs that don’t have any problems because the last few years, I’ve spent my time complaining. I want to enjoy playing football. I would have liked to retire at Boca Juniors, but it didn’t happen. My best form was in 2016.”
Benedetto, 35, went on to state that he has no plans of playing outside of Argentina. But the three-time Primera Division champion is open to moving to the United States to reunite with Messi, with whom he had shared the pitch four times for Argentina.
“If he calls me to play for Inter Miami, I’ll go by bicycle,” Benedetto stated with a laugh.
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Will Benedetto Be a Decent Signing for Messi’s Club?
Benedetto, who made five senior appearances for Argentina before his international retirement, initially made a name for himself in the Primera Division. After helping Arsenal FC win the league title in 2012, he eventually moved to Boca Juniors, where he won three more league titles.
However, since the end of his second stint with Boca Juniors in July 2024, Benedetto has failed to impress. He subsequently joined the Mexican side Querétaro before transferring to Olimpia earlier this January. After failing to score for Olimpia in six months, he joined Newell’s Old Boys in July and registered just one assist in nine overall outings for them.
With Luis Suarez’s contract set to expire this month, Benedetto could still pop up as a target for the Herons next month. But, as things stand, Timo Werner is reportedly more likely to join Messi’s side in January 2026.
