On August 28, Lionel Messi was able to practice with Inter Miami players.
This is the first time Messi has participated in a training session with his teammates in six weeks since the Argentina captain injured his right ankle in the 2024 Copa America final in July.
According to ESPN , it is still unclear when Messi will return to play with Inter Miami. On August 23, coach Gerardo Martino said Messi is expected to return to play before the 2024 MLS regular season ends in the last week of October, but there is no specific time frame.
Messi’s return to training is a positive sign for Inter Miami. Many teammates expressed their joy at seeing Messi back on the training field.
“Seeing Messi on the field is amazing,” Inter Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender shared after the afternoon practice session on August 28.
Messi has not played in MLS since June 2. He missed Inter Miami’s entire 2024 Confederations Cup campaign and is likely to miss several more MLS games. He was also left out of Argentina’s squad for September’s World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia.
The 2024 MLS playoffs could be the last time Jordi Alba, Messi, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets all play for Miami. Suarez’s contract expires at the end of the 2024 season, while Alba has not yet negotiated a new contract with Inter Miami.