Messi: Inter Miami Return Uncertain as the Argentine superstar has rejoined training with the club following his post-World Cup break, but head coach Guillermo Hoyos has yet to confirm whether he will feature against the Columbus Crew on Saturday.
Messi: Inter Miami Return Uncertain comes after the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner completed 120 minutes in Argentina’s World Cup final loss to Spain on July 19. He and teammate Rodrigo De Paul resumed training on Friday and are in the squad pool, but Hoyos stressed that no final decision has been made. “He only just got back. We haven’t really had the chance to have a proper conversation yet,” the coach told reporters.
The uncertainty surrounding Messi reflects a new MLS policy agreed with the players’ association, which allows clubs to set individual recovery timelines after the World Cup. This explains why Messi and De Paul were excused from the 2026 MLS All-Star Game, avoiding the suspension Messi received last year for missing the same event.
Inter Miami face a congested schedule, hosting Columbus before starting Leagues Cup action on August 5. With new signing Casemiro set for his home debut and Luis Suárez in red-hot form, the club must carefully manage Messi’s workload. Given the 39-year-old’s intense World Cup campaign and a mandatory rest period, his competitive return may be delayed slightly.
For now, Messi is back on the training pitch, and the decision on his playing time will come down to careful planning on a demanding run of fixtures.