Overview
- Lionel Messi rejoined Inter Miami training on Wednesday after spending about a week with family in Rosario and flying privately to Fort Lauderdale to resume club duties.
- Inter Miami posted photos of Messi at the training ground and confirmed his reintegration into team sessions but did not announce a competitive return date.
- Media and club sources report two likely windows for Messi’s first match back: the MLS game versus Columbus Crew on Aug. 1 or Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup opener on Aug. 5, though both dates remain unconfirmed.
- Major League Soccer formally exempted Messi and Rodrigo De Paul from the MLS All‑Star Game because they reached the World Cup final, and Inter Miami has the Campeones Cup versus Cruz Azul on Sept. 16 as a near-term trophy opportunity.
- Messi is 39, under contract with Inter Miami through 2028, and will use the coming weeks to decide whether to continue with the Argentina national team, a choice that is delaying AFA planning for September friendlies and commerical arrangements.