There’s not a second to rest. Just hours after Argentina and Colombia drew 1–1 on Matchday 16 of the South American World Cup Qualifiers, Lionel Messi was already on a plane heading back to Florida to rejoin Inter Miami training and begin preparations for the FIFA Club World Cup.
Only three days remain until their debut match against Al Ahly of Egypt. Messi knew the Herons needed him back as soon as possible. Less than ten hours later, he landed in the U.S. and joined the morning training session.
Javier Mascherano is all smiles as he fine-tunes the likely starting XI, with Óscar Ustari in goal; Marcelo Weigandt, Maxi Falcón, Tomás Avilés, and Noah Allen in defense; Telasco Segovia, Sergio Busquets, and Tadeo Allende in midfield; and Messi and Luis Suárez up front. The only question is Busquets’ midfield partner, which could be either Benjamín Cremaschi or Federico Redondo.
When do Messi and Inter Miami play in the FIFA Club World Cup?
Messi has already started training under head coach Javier Mascherano, as the team gets ready to face Al Ahly of Egypt in the opening match of the newly formatted FIFA Club World Cup.
The Herons and the Red Devils from Cairo will square off Saturday, June 14 at 8:00 PM ET , at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
see also
Play the official FIFA Club World Cup 2025 fantasy game: How it works
Inter Miami’s full Group A schedule:
Saturday, June 14 | 8:00 PM ET – Inter Miami vs. Al Ahly FC (Hard Rock Stadium, Miami) – Matchday 1Thursday, June 19 | 3:00 PM ET – Inter Miami vs. FC Porto (Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta) – Matchday 2Monday, June 23 | 9:00 PM ET – Inter Miami vs. Palmeiras (Hard Rock Stadium, Miami) – Matchday 3
