ESPN News Services Oct 7, 2023, 8:57pm ET3 minute read
After international call-up, does Messi give Argentina priority over Miami?
The Futbol Americas duo discuss Lionel Messi’s international call-up despite his recent absence from Inter Miami due to injury.
Lionel Messi returned to the field for Inter Miami for the first time in five games, coming on as a second-half substitute in Saturday’s crucial MLS home game against FC Cincinnati.
After starting the game on the bench at the DRV PNK Stadium, Messi came on as a substitute for Tomás Avilés in the 55th minute when the score was 0-0 and Miami was hunting for a goal to stay in the race to stay in the MLS playoffs.
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The 36-year-old had missed five of Inter Miami’s last six games during that time and another for Argentina after suffering a scarring injury in one leg. He had not taken the field since his 37-minute appearance against Toronto FC on September 20, when he had to be taken off the field before halftime due to a leg problem.
As time went on, Miami continued to describe Messi’s availability as a game-time decision. However, he practiced fully with his Miami teammates on Thursday and Friday, suggesting he was close to returning.
Miami struggled without the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, failing to win in three MLS games and losing the US Open Cup final to Houston Dynamo.
Messi has scored 11 goals in 12 games with Inter Miami. When he plays, the score is 8-0-4; Seven of these games involved the team winning their first trophy by winning the League Cup, and another came in the semi-finals of the US Open Cup. Inter Miami is 1-3-2 in six games without Messi since he joined the club.
Miami’s faltering form without its talisman has seen it fail in the difficult challenge of reaching the MLS playoffs.
With three games remaining, including the game against Cincinnati, Miami sits in 14th place in the 15-team Eastern Conference, with the top nine teams reaching the postseason. The South Florida team needs to close a five-point deficit on ninth-place CF Montreal, but still has a game in hand.
Despite his ongoing fitness problems, Messi has been called up by Argentina for their World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay on Thursday and Peru on October 17.