FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — Captain Lionel Messi will join the Inter Miami CF squad for their match against Atlanta United FC on Saturday night at Chase Stadium, according to sources close to ESPN. This comes as he briefly departs from international duty with the Argentina national team.
Messi was called up by Argentina’s manager, Lionel Scaloni, for two friendly matches during the October FIFA window against Venezuela and Puerto Rico. In an unusual turn of events, he will be available to play in Miami’s penultimate MLS match of the regular season.
Messi did not participate in Argentina’s recent 1-0 victory over Venezuela on Friday night at Hard Rock Stadium, a decision made by Scaloni to experiment with other players like Lautaro Martínez and Julián Álvarez.
“I opted to leave Leo [Messi] out. We wanted to give Lautaro and Julián a chance and had Jose Manuel Lopez ready on the bench,” Scaloni explained after the match. “It was a strategic decision. Unfortunately, Flaco [Jose Manuel Lopez] didn’t get to play, but he should be involved in the next match. The choice was simply mine.”
Prior to these friendlies, Inter Miami’s coach, Javier Mascherano, expressed that he would welcome Messi’s involvement on Saturday but acknowledged uncertainty about the arrangement.
Inter Miami has secured a spot in the 2025 MLS playoffs but is competing for a better position in the Eastern Conference to gain home-field advantage in the postseason. The team currently stands third with 59 points from 32 matches, while the Philadelphia Union has already clinched the top spot in the Eastern Conference along with the Supporters’ Shield for having the highest points during the regular season.
When inquired about Messi’s availability for the upcoming friendly against Puerto Rico on October 14, Scaloni maintained a hopeful outlook. “Let’s see if Messi can make it for Tuesday; we’ll review how things go in the coming days,” he stated after the victory over Venezuela.
The match against Puerto Rico is set to take place at Chase Stadium, having been moved from Chicago earlier this week.
As of now, Messi is tied with LAFC‘s Denis Bouanga for the most goals scored in MLS this season, both sitting at 24. This makes the final two matches crucial for the Golden Boot race heading into 2025, as Bouanga and LAFC face off against Austin FC on Sunday.