During his time at Inter Miami, Lionel Messi achieved remarkable progress. He has already won a championship (the Leagues Cup), reached the final of the U.S. Open Cup, and although ticket sales and merchandising performance haven’t been top-notch, the impact he has had in the United States is undeniable. His family felt this impact too, with his oldest son, Thiago, and his younger brother, Mateo, joining the La Masia Academy.
Despite the franchise not qualifying for the playoffs, the season for Messi didn’t end as hoped. In the city of China, Messi’s influence continued as he successfully paired two teams. At the Wuyuan River Stadium in Haikou, the first match, which took place on November 5th, was against Qingdao Hainiu FC. On November 8th, they will be competing against Chengdu Rongcheng at the Phoenix Hill Sports Park, with a capacity of 60,000 people.
Observe Thiago Messi in action—he is careful with the movements of Leo’s son!
Furthermore, in November, Messi will be confronted with the final stages of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers with the Argentina national squad. On Thursday, November 16, at the Bombonera, the team coached by Lionel Scaloni will engage in a crucial match. On Tuesday, November 21, at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, the squad will face another formidable opponent. During this time, Messi, the Rosario native, has the opportunity to raise his eighth Ballon d’Or at the France Football magazine gala taking place at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Alongside Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland, he is among the most prominent candidates for this prestigious award.