Messi Back After World Cup Heartbreak
Lionel Messi, captain of the Argentine national team, is set to wear the Inter Miami jersey again as a starter following Argentina's defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. After the match, Messi traveled to his hometown of Rosario, Argentina for a nine-day break and rejoined Inter Miami training on July 29, 2026.
Inter Miami head coach Guillermo Hoyos addressed the media before the match: "Vacations are needed to relax a bit, but you miss football very quickly. They are football players, it's a feeling." He added that the time off helped Messi "free himself mentally."
Match Details
Date: Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Time: 8:30 PM (Argentina) / 7:30 PM (Miami local)
Venue: Nu Stadium, Miami, Florida
Broadcast: Apple TV (MLS Season Pass)
What is the Leagues Cup?
The Leagues Cup is an annual tournament that pits teams from Major League Soccer (MLS) against those from Mexico's Liga MX. Inter Miami won the trophy in 2023 — Messi's first title with the club — scoring 10 goals in 7 matches during that run.
Key Absences in Attack
Hoyos will be without Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez, who is serving a six-match suspension imposed by the tournament after spitting at a member of the Seattle Sounders coaching staff following last year's final. Hoyos called Suárez "irreplaceable and one of the players who marks a path in football history."
His natural replacement, Germán Berterame, is also unavailable after suffering a heavy impact on July 25 that forced him to leave the field in an ambulance during an MLS match.
Probable Lineups
| Inter Miami (4-3-3) | Atlético San Luis (4-4-2) |
|---|---|
| Rocco Ríos Novo (GK) | Andrés Sánchez (GK) |
| Facundo Mura (RB) | Robson Bambu (RB) |
| Fricio Caicedo (CB) | Miguel García (CB) |
| Micael (CB) | Eduardo Águila (CB) |
| Noah Allen (LB) | Óscar Macías (LB) |
| Casemiro (CM) | Lucas Esteves (CM) |
| Yannick Bright (CM) | Sebastián Salles-Lamonge (CM) |
| Rodrigo De Paul (CM) | David Rodríguez (CM) |
| Lionel Messi (RW) | Román Torres (ST) |
| Mateo Silvetti (ST) | Sergio Flores (ST) |
| — | Leonardo Flores (LW) |