Lionel Messi has made a strong impact in North American soccer, scoring seven goals to lead Inter Miami CF to the quarterfinals of Leagues Cup. However, his official Major League Soccer debut has been delayed. Originally scheduled for Aug. 20 against Charlotte FC, the match has been postponed due to both teams playing each other in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals on Friday. The winner of that match will move on to either the final or the third-place match. As a result, Messi’s debut will now take place at a later date.
Inter Miami’s upcoming schedule:
Friday, Aug. 11
Leagues Cup: Inter Miami vs. Charlotte FC, 8:30 p.m. ET
Tuesday, Aug. 15
Leagues Cup semis: Winner of Inter Miami-Charlotte FC
Saturday, Aug. 19
Leagues Cup third-place game and title game
Wednesday, Aug. 23
Open Cup semis: FC Cincinnati vs. Inter Miami, 7 p.m. ET (Paramount+/CBS Sports Golazo)
Saturday, Aug. 26
MLS: New York Red Bulls vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET
Wednesday, Aug. 30
MLS: Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m. ET
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This change in schedule was necessary to allow Miami and Charlotte to avoid playing each other again in a short turnaround. Therefore, Lionel Messi’s potential MLS debut might happen on Aug. 26 against the New York Red Bulls in Harrison, New Jersey. This match will be significant as it will be played in front of a large tri-state market. It remains to be seen how much playing time Messi will get in that match, considering Inter Miami also have a U.S. Open Cup semifinal against FC Cincinnati on Aug. 23, just three days before. Given Messi’s age of 36, it is unlikely that he will start all three games in a span of seven days, no matter how impactful he has been for Inter Miami. Therefore, his first home MLS game might take place on Aug. 30 against Nashville.
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Despite being 12 points away from a playoff spot, Inter Miami’s focus has shifted towards the competitions they are currently involved in. It is possible that more Miami games will be rescheduled in the future, as the league wants to showcase Messi as much as possible.
In the meantime, fans can enjoy watching Miami’s potential run in the Leagues Cup and Open Cup tournaments while eagerly anticipating Messi’s MLS debut.
