The wait is over for Inter Miami fans. Lionel Messi returned to training with the Florida team this Wednesday after enjoying a few days of vacation in Argentina after the 2026 World Cup, a tournament in which the Argentina team lost the final against Spain.
The American club shared an image of the Argentine captain arriving at the Fort Lauderdale training facilities with a mate in his hand, a postcard that quickly generated expectations about his possible return to the fields.
Messi returns to Inter Miami after the World Cup
The Argentine star had not worked with Inter Miami since May, when the MLS paused for the World Cup and joined the Argentina national team's training camp.
After the 1-0 defeat against Spain in the final played on July 19, Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul traveled directly to Argentina to rest before returning to activity with their club.
Although the team confirmed Messi's return through a photograph published on their social networks, they did not report whether De Paul had also joined training.
When will Lionel Messi play again?
During his absence, Inter Miami achieved two important victories: they beat Chicago Fire 3-2 and later beat CF Montreal 1-0, results that allowed the team to maintain a good competitive pace.
Now, all eyes point to this Saturday's match against the Columbus Crew, where Lionel Messi could add his first minutes after the World Cup.
If that match does not reappear, another possibility is that his return will occur on August 5, when Inter Miami debuts in the Leagues Cup against Atlético de San Luis.
Messi was also left out of the MLS All-Star
Before rejoining the club, Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul had been called up to All-Star 2026, a match that brings together the main figures of MLS and Liga MX in Charlotte, North Carolina.
However, both footballers were released from that commitment to prioritize their physical recovery after the intense activity that the World Cup represented.
FIFPRO recommends a minimum rest after each season
FIFPRO, the international union of professional footballers, recommends that players have at least 21 days of rest at the end of each season.
However, there is no clarity on whether this recommendation applies in the same way to the MLS, since its calendar was in place before the start of the World Cup.
A day after the defeat in the final against Spain, Lionel Messi, 39, acknowledged the emotional impact of the result by posting on Instagram that the pain from the defeat was “very great” and that it was “going to be difficult for this wound to close.”
