Lionel Messi is gearing up for his fourth tournament of the season with Inter Miami, an intense workload with little rest in between.
Following a whirlwind week that included suspensions for Messi and Jordi Alba after skipping the MLS All-Star Game against Liga MX, the official unveiling of Rodrigo De Paul, and a goalless draw with FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami now turns its attention to the 2025 Leagues Cup. Javier Mascherano’s squad is preparing to kick off yet another competition in what has already been a jam-packed season.
Inter Miami and Messi’s packed 2025 schedule
So far this year, Messi’s Herons have competed in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup, and the ongoing MLS regular season. Now, they’ll take part in a high-stakes tournament featuring top teams from Major League Soccer and Mexico’s Liga MX. Miami opens group play on Wednesday, July 30, against Atlas FC.
Inter Miami enters this year’s Leagues Cup under a heavy workload. They’ve already played 34 official matches, and the group stage, against Atlas, Necaxa, and Pumas UNAM, will be crammed into just seven days. In order to stay sharp, the team will play a grueling schedule of Wednesday–Saturday–Wednesday, with the clear goal of advancing to the knockout stage.
Ironically, the suspensions of Messi and Alba may have offered a much-needed silver lining: rest. The Argentine captain had played 17 straight matches, while Alba had only recently regained match fitness after returning from a muscle injury in mid-June. Missing the All-Star Game gave both veterans a brief but valuable breather ahead of the Leagues Cup grind.
Messi and Miami ready to go again in Leagues Cup
There’s no doubt: this is the most demanding season Messi and Inter Miami have faced since the former Barcelona icon landed in North America. The team made it to the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup, reached a historic Round of 16 matchup against PSG in the Club World Cup, and currently sits fifth in the Eastern Conference. Now, they’ll have to prove themselves against top-tier Mexican sides in yet another high-profile competition.
The big question is how Inter Miami will manage the first stage of the Leagues Cup, and if they advance, how they’ll balance knockout games with the ongoing battle for playoff positioning in MLS.
The good news? The Herons won’t need to travel for group-stage games. All three will be played at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, giving Messi and company a rare and welcome home-field advantage as they continue their marathon season.
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