“The GOAT is back!” Messi returns to Miami and joins Inter training after the World Cup

Lionel Messi returned to Inter Miami training this Wednesday after nearly ten days of vacation in Argentina following the conclusion of the World Cup, a period during which he missed his team’s last two matches.’

Inter Miami published videos and photographs this Wednesday of Messi, mate in hand, arriving at the club’s training session at their usual facilities in Fort Lauderdale, a city north of Miami.

The forward had not trained with Inter Miami since last May, when the Major League Soccer break began for the World Cup and he joined Argentina’s training camp.

After losing in the final to Spain (1-0) on July 19, Messi and his Inter Miami teammate, Rodrigo De Paul, traveled to Argentina separately from the rest of the national team players to enjoy a few days of vacation.

Both missed Inter Miami’s last two matches, which ended with wins over the Chicago Fire (3-2) and CF Montreal (0-1). They could get minutes this Saturday against the Columbus Crew, or on August 5 in the opening matchday of the Leagues Cup against Mexico’s Atlético de San Luis.

In addition, both Messi and De Paul had been called up to participate in the “All-Star 2026“, which pits the best players from MLS and LigaMX against each other and is held this Wednesday in Charlotte (North Carolina), but both were excused so they could rest after the World Cup.

FIFPRO, the world union of professional footballers, is calling for players to have 21 days off after each season, although it is not clear whether this rule applies to MLS, which had already started before the national team tournament.