Inter Miami’s captain, Lionel Messi, is set to play against LAFC on Saturday night in the Major League Soccer season opener after traveling with the team to California.
Initially, Messi’s availability was uncertain due to a muscle strain in his left hamstring that he sustained during a preseason match against Barcelona SC on February 7. Although he started the friendly, he exited the game in the 58th minute.
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The team confirmed in a news release that “Messi did not participate in training on Wednesday, February 11, due to a muscle strain in his left hamstring sustained during the match against Barcelona SC in Ecuador, which has persisted since then.”
Additional medical tests confirmed the diagnosis, and his return to training will be based on his clinical and functional progress in the coming days.
Consequently, Inter Miami decided to postpone their final preseason friendly against Independiente del Valle in Puerto Rico to February 26, shifting it from its original February 13 date. Messi has since resumed training with the team.
Entering the 2026 season, Inter Miami is the defending MLS champions, having secured the 2025 MLS Cup by defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps. The team will also compete in the Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup, and Campeones Cup alongside the MLS regular season.