Inter Miami

Lionel Messi will not play Sunday for Inter Miami due to a problem with "old scar tissue," ESPN's Ross Devonport reported.

Inter Miami head coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino confirmed the news during a Friday press conference.

"It is probable that these scars bother [him] and don't allow him to even be mentally free to play a game," Martino said about Messi's injury. "It is difficult. We have all experienced pain when we have hit our scars on the corner of a table and this is like that."

Messi missed Inter Miami's game against Atlanta United Sunday before returning to the Inter Miami pitch Wednesday night. He played just 37 minutes in the team's 4-0 shutout of Toronto FC.

The Argentine star also asked to be subbed out in the 88th minute of a World Cup qualifying match between Argentina and Ecuador earlier this month.

"The truth is I have not spoken again to Leo since the match, but his experience gives him the capacity even during a match to know when to stop... It is good for me that he is aware that he notices when he has to stop this, like he did in the Ecuador game," Martino said.

Messi's absence comes at a difficult time for Inter Miami. Starting Sunday, the team is set to play five games in under two weeks.

Upcoming Inter Miami games include four contests that will define Inter Miami's chances of sneaking into an Eastern Conference playoff spot as well as the U.S. Open Cup final against the Houston Dynamo. Messi helped the team reach the final with two assists in a semifinal win over Cincinnati in August.

Martino has known ever since signing the international superstar in July that Messi would miss parts of the grueling MLS schedule.

Messi was questionable to play in his August 26 regular-season MLS debut after appearing in seven Leagues Cup matches and a U.S. Open Cup contest in a span of just over one month for Inter Miami.

At that time, Martino said it was "inevitable that we will not have him at some point," per Davenport.

"This will happen at least three times this year, and next year more," Martino said about resting Messi for partial or full games. "We will have to find a solution."

Although Inter Miami's playoff hopes will undoubtedly take a hit if Messi is sidelined for the final stretch of the season, Martino's long-term focus is likely on making sure the 36-year-old can continue playing in the future. Messi's contract with Inter Miami runs through December 2025.

Lionel Messi was subbed off in the 37th minute of Inter Miami's MLS contest against Toronto FC on Wednesday with an apparent right leg ailment.

Safid Deen of USA Today provided more details.

"During a brief moment, Messi stretched his right leg out during the 34th minute of the match.

"Messi was bent over and just tending to his leg around the midfield area.

"Messi seemed to be favoring his right leg, around the calf area, shortly after he charged to the box that ended when Messi was defended too wide.

"Two minutes later, Messi was heading to the sidelines."

Messi was playing in his first match since Sept. 7, when he led Argentina over Ecuador 1-0 in a 2026 World Cup qualifying contest.

Messi has played 12 matches with Inter Miami since July 21, when he made his debut for the team. Inter Miami, which was last in the MLS table when Messi joined the team, hasn't lost a game in which the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has played.

On Wednesday, Messi was quite active, taking three shots (one on goal) within a six-minute period in the first half. None found the net, but Inter Miami did later when Facundo Farías scored to give his team a 1-0 lead right before halftime.

As for Messi, he gave the captain's armband to DeAndre Yedlin before exiting. Robert Taylor replaced Messi in the lineup.

Three minutes prior to Messi's exit, Jordi Alba also left the game with an undisclosed injury. Inter Miami head coach Tata Martino provided an update at halftime.

Tata Martino On Apple TV on Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba

“They had to leave the game, we will evaluate them during the week.”

Translated from Spanish

Messi and Alba were not supposed to come off in the first half per Tata. #MLS #MLSSeasonPass #InterMiamiCF #Intermiami

— Favian Renkel (@FavianRenkel) September 21, 2023

Inter Miami's next match is an MLS contest on Sunday against Orlando City SC. They then play the Houston Dynamo next Wednesday in the U.S. Open Cup final.

Lionel Messi has been the perfect fit for Inter Miami since joining the club this summer, and now he's putting down roots in South Florida.

According to TMZ, Messi has purchased a $10.8 million, 10,486-square-foot mansion in Fort Lauderdale that includes eight bedrooms and nine-and-a-half bathrooms. His new home also has a pool in the backyard and two docks outside plus an inside that features an Italian kitchen, workout room, entertainment lounge, VIP and Captain's suites and offices.

Leo Messi’s new mansion in Florida. Cost about $11M... 🏡🇺🇸🐐💰 pic.twitter.com/12tWQRUNuo

— 𝐂𝐀 𝐕𝐀?🐐🐐 (@psg_chief) September 12, 2023

Per Katherine Kallergis of The Real Deal, Messi's home is five miles from Drive Pink Stadium and Inter Miami's adjacent training facility in Fort Lauderdale.

Messi arrived at Inter Miami in July to much fanfare and has more than lived up to the hype. Fan attendance is at an all-time high for the MLS club, with celebrities frequently seen in the stands during his matches. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner spearheaded a victory in the 2023 Leagues Cup, earning the club's first-ever trophy.

Even from thousands of miles away, Christian Pulisic can feel the impact that Lionel Messi's move to Inter Miami has had on the state of soccer in the U.S.

The USMNT captain, who's enjoying a successful first few weeks with AC Milan in Italy, has been watching from afar and can't help but get excited knowing how much the sport is going to grow thanks to the arrival of the GOAT.

"It absolutely helps. I mean obviously all the games that [Messi's] playing in MLS and these cups become massive games," Pulisic said ahead of Saturday's game between the U.S. and Uzbekistan in St. Louis. "It seems like everyone's there. It's exciting. It's fun.

"Obviously only a positive thing for this country, so I'm enjoying watching and following that Miami path. Obviously, some of our American teammates are there who've been playing really well, so it's fun to see how Messi has come in and help lift the level so much of that team as well."

Messi, 36, has resurrected an Inter Miami that was dead in the South Florida water prior to his arrival. With the World Cup winner's help, the team has yet to lose a game and he helped lead them to a Leagues Cup title.

He has 11 goals in 11 league and cup games, an incredible tally even for someone of his legend and stature.

And some of Pulisic's national team teammates have been direct beneficiaries of Messi's arrival such as DeAndre Yedlin and Benjamin Cremaschi, both of whom play for Inter Miami.

Pulisic's move to Italy will also be a great help for the national team as the 24-year-old is already receiving much more playing time than he was getting while at Chelsea over the last couple of years.

Other talents like Tim Weah and Yunus Musah also made the move to Italy and Serie A, one of the most competitive leagues in the world.

"Definitely it was the right time for me [to move] and I'm loving it right now," Pulisic said. "I'm definitely enjoying the game, obviously put in some good performances and just have to keep it going. I'm really excited for the future there."

Lionel Messi may not have found the back of the net, but the Inter Miami star put in another man-of-the-match performance Sunday in a 3-1 victory over Los Angeles FC.

Messi provided two assists, first finding former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba in the 51st minute and then teeing it up for Leonardo Campana in the 83rd.

Busquets finds Messi.

Messi finds Alba.

Alba finds the back of the net 💥

(via @MLS)pic.twitter.com/lylj0eHnck

— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 4, 2023

Messi with his second assist of the night 🎁🎁

(via @InterMiamiCF)pic.twitter.com/QCjyPs4PD7

— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 4, 2023

The result demonstrated the continued turnaround Inter Miami have made since Messi arrived. LAFC is the reigning MLS Cup champion and third in the Western Conference, and it was helpless to stop Messi.

#InterMiamiCF, one of the worst teams in the #MLS standings, just came to the 2022 MLS Cup champions, #LAFC, home stadium and beat them easily, 3-1.

The Lionel #Messi𓃵 effect. pic.twitter.com/vrD0nVcSTw

— Kamran Nia (@kamran_nia) September 4, 2023

This is the first victory for Inter Miami against Los Angeles FC in their entire history.

Talk about the effect 🐐 pic.twitter.com/o83A6EQXny

— ganesh (@breathMessi21) September 4, 2023

Lionel Messi for Inter Miami:

11 Games
11 Goals
5 Assists
9 Motm
10 Wins
1 Draw
1 Trophy

Goat stats. Still the best 🐐🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/CKI5yYK28W

— Jan 🇩🇪 (@FutbolJan10) September 4, 2023

Messi just led the weakest team in MLS to their first victory against MLS reigning Champions with two unbelievable assists. A man on a mission! 🐐 pic.twitter.com/6OioRdV3Y8

— BeksFCB (@Joshua__Ubeku) September 4, 2023

The damage would've been worse had LAFC goalkeeper John McCarthy not made an impressive reaction save on a shot by the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner in the first half.

OMG WHAT A SAVE FROM JOHN MCCARTHY 😱 pic.twitter.com/UiaTcbI9yS

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 4, 2023

Selena Gomez couldn't believe that Messi miss either 😱 pic.twitter.com/PHklAQnGiD

— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 4, 2023

Messi's résumé speaks for itself. He's the greatest player of his generation and compares favorably to Diego Maradona and Pelé in the all-time discussion.

But the 36-year-old's run in MLS is exceeding even the rosiest projections for what he would do once his move to the United States was official. The transformation for Inter Miami was immediate and striking.

11 - Inter Miami is unbeaten in 11 matches in all competitions since Lionel Messi's debut. The only MLS team with a longer unbeaten run in 2023 is FC Cincinnati (14 straight in April-June). Contenders. pic.twitter.com/mJ3dENJvht

— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) September 4, 2023

Miami's next match is Saturday against Sporting Kansas City.

Figuring out how to marginalize Messi's influence on the pitch will be a top priority for Sporting coach Peter Vermes. He and his fellow MLS coaches might be open to any suggestions at this point.

The stars were shining bright in Los Angeles Sunday night.

Inter Miami CF and Lionel Messi squared off with Los Angeles FC at BMO Stadium and the celebrity firepower in attendance was very significant.

LeBron James, Selena Gomez, Prince Harry, Megan Markle and Magic Johnson were just some of the names who showed up for the contest and others included star athletes, actors, actresses, musicians and other significant celebrities.

The celebrity list for Messi's match tonight in LA is wild 🤯

(via @herculezg) pic.twitter.com/cEzHADxLjl

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 4, 2023

Selena Gomez was all of us watching John McCarthy deny Messi! 😱 https://t.co/A3a564uUSB pic.twitter.com/7likNsWPJD

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 4, 2023

Messi's first MLS game in any city is a show-stopping event and the City of Angels is no different.

Messi's move to join Inter Miami sent shockwaves in the soccer world as he is considered one of the greatest players to ever take the pitch. He has a jaw-dropping 818 career goals in his professional career. He won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina and has won seven Ballon d'Or awards in his career.

The 36-year-old choosing to come play in MLS was a huge get for the league and has provided a big boost to Inter Miami. This season will not be the only opportunity for him to chase MLS glory, as he is signed through 2025. This means that future trips to Los Angeles will happen, but his debut appearance will surely be one to cherish.

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF have changed Los Angeles-area hotels in a show of solidarity with striking workers, per Rory Carroll of Reuters.

The team was set to stay at the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica, but workers there joined a strike that now includes roughly 60 hotels in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, per Suhuana Hussain of the Los Angeles Times. Fairmont Miramar is one of 13 hotels where workers walked out on Wednesday.

Unite Here! Local 11, which is representing the striking workers, released a statement imploring Inter Miami to stay elsewhere.

"We have learned that Inter Miami and the great Lionel Messi are coming to Los Angeles this week for a match against LAFC on Sunday," Unite Here! Local 11 stated.

"As housekeepers, cooks, bellmen and servers, we ask Lionel Messi and his team mates to stand in solidarity with us and stay out of the Fairmont Miramar."

However, union spokesperson Maria Hernandez told Reuters that Inter Miami is heading elsewhere.

"Thank you to the great Lionel Messi and his team mates for agreeing to move from the hotel and stand in solidarity with striking workers!" the union stated.

Inter Miami signed Messi, a seven-time Ballon d'Or winner who just won his first World Cup with Argentina last year, to a contract in July. The team has dominated with him on the field, going undefeated in 10 matches and winning both the Leagues Cup and U.S. Open Cup.

Believe it or not, Lionel Messi is occasionally a mere mortal after all.

For the first time since joining Inter Miami, the superstar was held without a goal or assist in the club's scoreless draw against Nashville SC. It was also the first time in nine matches since Messi joined Miami that the club didn't come away with a victory.

Not that Messi didn't have moments of absolute brilliance, of course, with some visionary passes and a last-gasp shot that was saved after he shook several Nashville defenders.

He's also a major draw, with some sporting legends in attendance to watch him (and photograph him, at that):

MLB Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. is shooting Messi and Inter Miami 📸 pic.twitter.com/51FqdcgqM4

— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 30, 2023

Floyd Mayweather and Ken Griffey Jr. link up to watch Messi tonight 🙏

(via @MLS)pic.twitter.com/jmHcvrBtAd

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 30, 2023

Wednesday's result will feel like a lost opportunity for Miami, however, which dominated possession (69.1 percent), put up more shots (13-7, 4-2 on target) and held the advantage in corners (4-3).

Messi and Inter Miami need to be nearly perfect down the stretch run of the MLS season if they are to have any hope of securing a playoff berth. The club sits on 22 points, the second-worst mark in the Eastern Conference, and has to make up 10 points in 10 matches to get past Chicago Fire FC for the final playoff berth.

Miami will have two matches in hand, which could prove crucial. And they'll have Messi, arguably the greatest player to ever live, aiding them in their cause.

But for the second straight time, Miami couldn't beat Nashville FC in regulation, famously needing free kicks to beat Nashville in the Leagues Cup final.

Messi has taken Inter Miami to brand new heights. On Wednesday, however, Nashville kept him and his teammates grounded.

The addition of Lionel Messi to Inter Miami CF is a game changer for the franchise but that doesn't mean the organization isn't prepared to play without his services.

Messi debuted in MLS competition with the team Saturday night and was able to add a goal as Miami defeated New York Red Bulls 2-0. He did not start the game on the pitch, rather he entered the game in the 60th minute.

Following the game, head coach Tata Martino noted that the rotation used in the game was crucial to the victory, especially since Messi will miss at least three games in each of the next two seasons in order to play Internationally for his native Argentina.

"We put a lot of value in this win because (playing with a rotation) is something we need to get used to because Leo is going to join his national team," Martino said, per Tom Bogert of The Athletic. "He'll miss at least three games this year and next year it will be the same, and we need to understand that when he's not here the team still needs to provide results."

Messi is slated to play in Miami's next two games against Nashville SC and Los Angeles FC, which are scheduled for August 30 and September 3. There are conflicts after this, as Messi is set to play in World Cup qualifiers with Argentina on September 9 and 12, and he has MLS Games on the 9th and 16th.

Messi's presence will be felt for much of Inter Miami's remaining schedule but they need a sensational run to make the playoffs. The team is currently 14th in the Eastern Conference with 21 points in 23 matches.

Jim Reineking of USA Today previously projected it would take about eight wins in the final 12 matches to crash the playoff party, although Saturday's victory against the Red Bulls was a step in the right direction.

Messi's addition will obviously provide a huge help in making this type run, but his absence from games does not mean the team can take time off. He also will be undergoing significant travel over this time, so a true team effort will be needed to carry the team into the postseason.

The team will be taking things one step at a time, and the next step is the August 30 matchup against Nashville, who are currently seventh in the Eastern Conference with 38 points.

Lionel Messi hasn't stopped scoring since joining Inter Miami, and his Saturday night regular-season MLS debut was no different.

Coming off the bench, Messi scored in the 89th minute of a 2-0 win over the New York Red Bulls to delight both the fans packed into Red Bull Arena and the ones watching from home.

Messi now has racked up 11 goals in nine contests for Inter Miami.

MESSI SCORES IN HIS MLS DEBUT 🔥

(via @MLS)pic.twitter.com/B1f40UzSCI

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 27, 2023

The goal, and the pass leading up to it, satisfied fans who had spent the first 60 minutes of the match waiting for Messi to leave the bench.

That pass before Messi gets the cross-tap in is arguably the nastiest lead pass I have ever seen https://t.co/Gzrf79lwlW

— Stephen McCarthy (@stephen11mcc) August 27, 2023

Messi breathes and scores a goal https://t.co/nwA2WrHJkV

— Krissy Birdsall (@KrissyBirdsall) August 27, 2023

Watch his head while he’s off the ball. Brilliant movement https://t.co/fFiSrlQnyr

— Ghost of the Uchiha (@DomDeion) August 27, 2023

This is one of the most absurd goals I’ve ever seen.

Messi’s pass across to Cremaschi instantly took 4-5 defenders out of the play, and he follows that up with the easiest of tap-ins.

And it all started with that Jordi Alba first touch 🤌pic.twitter.com/GmZElzRDw6

— Rudi (@RudiSchuller) August 27, 2023

https://twitter.com/NrePace/status/1695617759114068155

Man, what a time in MLS. Messi is just amazing. The vision to make that pass and run. Wow. Easily the 🐐

— John (@JohnFutRook) August 27, 2023

Inter Miami are not going to lose a single game with Messi, aren't they

— . (@kareemasr) August 27, 2023

There are no superlatives left to describe Messi’s vision and brilliance at this point. Just fun to watch him enjoying himself in America now. https://t.co/iSrnK3CXHJ

— Ro (@br0han68) August 27, 2023

Messi combined with former Barcelona FC teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba in the play leading up to the the goal, a combination that made fans reminisce over the trio's dominant time in La Liga.

That Busquets Alba Messi linkup made me feel nostalgic.

— ZORO (@FCBZORO) August 27, 2023

https://twitter.com/EllstonLogan/status/1695613316281028886

What a masterpiece of a goal from Inter Miami. Messi, Busquets, Alba, Cremaschi combine for a BEAUTY of a sequence capped by Messi.

The man just keeps on delivering.

— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) August 27, 2023

Inter Miami getting messi busquets and alba in the same window is not actually fair on other teams😭😂

— Keyser Söze (@__Omotola) August 27, 2023

Messi and Inter Miami return to action on Wednesday for a contest against Nashville SC as the club continues its playoff push through the last 10 games of the regular season.