Inter Miami

(14-5-4)

2nd in East

Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi - The beginning and the end

At Barcelona, Lamine Yamal is considered the closest thing they have seen to Lionel Messi. That he has been more precocious is undeniable

James Horncastle25

Could Lionel Messi catch Cristiano Ronaldo at top of international scoring charts?

Adam Crafton85

Lionel Messi breaks tie with Ali Daei, moves second on all-time men's international goalscorers list

Ben Burrows30

How Argentina is learning to win without Messi: 'Leo has to be taken care of'

Felipe Cardenas18

Sergio Busquets red carded as Inter Miami loses 6-1 to FC Cincinnati

Ben Burrows42

The story behind the viral photos of Lionel Messi and a baby Lamine Yamal

The man who took the viral photos of Messi meeting a baby Yamal explains how two Barcelona stars from different generations met in 2007

Dermot Corrigan81

Lionel Messi trained 'with lots of fear' due to injury ahead of Argentina vs Ecuador

Argentina captain Lionel Messi says his thigh injury saw him train “with lots of fear” in the build-up to his side’s Copa America game against Ecuador. Messi missed Argentina’s final Copa America group match — the 2-0 win over Peru — having reported pain during their previous game against Chile. But the 37-year-old was fit to start against Ecuador in Texas on Thursday night and played 90 minutes in the 1-1 draw. “The truth is bad,” Messi said when asked how he had been feeling in the days leading up to the Copa America quarterfinal, “with a lot of uncertainty, with lots of...

Felipe Cardenas and more21

Argentina wins penalty shootout to reach semifinals, Messi misses from spot

Highlights of the drama from Houston

Felipe Cardenas and Paul Tenorio36

Real Salt Lake ejects man for tattoo that 'violated policy on hate speech'

The man's head tattoo appeared to resemble symbols used by the Nazi Party in Germany

Adam Crafton

Watching Lionel Messi (not) play for Argentina against Peru in Miami

Miami is a second home for the Argentina national team so it was a disappointment that Lionel Messi sat out the game against Peru

Felipe Cardenas3

Lionel Messi out of Argentina vs Peru, 'day-to-day' with injury

Lionel Messi will not play for Argentina against Peru in their final game of the Copa America group stage. The Argentina captain, 37, suffered with an apparent thigh injury during the win over Chile on Tuesday and subsequently missed training on Thursday. A spokesperson for the Argentina Football Federation (AFA) confirmed to The Athletic that Messi instead worked with a team physio at the team hotel and focused on kinesiology exercises. He later wasn’t part of the open portion of training visible to media on Friday and won’t feature in Saturday’s game in Miami. “Leo...

Felipe Cardenas and Ben Burrows1

Lionel Messi misses Argentina training, status remains in doubt for Peru game

Lionel Messi was absent from Argentina’s evening training session on Thursday in Miami ahead of their final group-stage game at Copa America. The defending Copa America champions are already qualified for the quarterfinal stage with a draw against Peru on Saturday enough for them to win the group. Multiple reports from Argentina suggest that Messi will not play against Peru in order to rest for the quarterfinal on July 4. If Argentina win Group A they’ll face either Ecuador or Mexico in Houston in the next phase. On Thursday Messi remained at the team hotel while his teammates trained at...

Felipe Cardenas

Will Lionel Messi play for Argentina in Miami?

After Argentina’s hard-fought 1-0 win over Chile on Tuesday, Messi said afterwards he had "felt some discomfort" in his right hamstring

Felipe Cardenas and Melanie Anzidei13

The scramble to bake Lionel Messi's birthday cake

A New Jersey bakery received a surprise request on Sunday night: Can you bake a birthday cake for Messi... within three hours?

Melanie Anzidei20

Argentina's fanatical fans turned Times Square blue and white - then their team fought

NYPD officers were left bewildered by Argentina's supporters in Times Square – are they now the most popular national team in soccer?

Felipe Cardenas29

Lionel Messi will 'see how it goes' after hamstring discomfort in Argentina Copa America win

Lionel Messi will “see how it goes” after a physical meeting with Chile at Copa America saw him undergo treatment on an apparent injury. The Argentina captain, 37, was looked at by training staff in the first half of his side’s 1-0 win at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey after a heavy challenge from Chile defender Gabriel Suazo. A member of the team’s medical personnel worked on Messi’s upper right leg on the sideline before he returned to the field of play after a short delay. He appeared to do his own share of stretches before exploding into life with a long-range shot...

Felipe Cardenas and Melanie Anzidei7

MLS attendance up 12 percent from 2023 — and it's not all down to Messi

Attendance at MLS matches is up 12% compared to data up to the same date in 2023, the league announced on Monday. Nearly 6.5 million fans have attended a total of 279 MLS matches in the first half of the regular season — nearly 700,000 more fans than the same date in 2023. The year-to-year growth is anchored by upward trends for 25 of the league’s 29 active franchises. Nine teams are currently averaging attendance at 100 percent of their stadium’s capacity. Additionally, five matches have featured an attendance of 60,000 or higher in 2024, the most through this date in league history.

Jeff Rueter159

37 things you might not have known about Lionel Messi for his 37th birthday

A selection of stats, facts and trivia about one of the greatest footballers to have ever played the game

Will Jeanes10

Messi's 13 Copa America goals analysed (including that USMNT free kick)

He's scored 13 at Copa America already and wants to break a record this tournament. These are all his Copa goals analysed...

Elias Burke8

Lionel Messi in the U.S., a legend knowing 'there’s not a lot of time left'

Messi has made a 'massive' impact on American soccer since joining Inter Miami but this Copa America may be his international farewell tour

Felipe Cardenas and Paul Tenorio46

Raul Sanllehi: Inter Miami names former Arsenal and Barcelona exec president of football operations

Inter Miami has named Raul Sanllehi as president of football operations, the club announced Monday. Sanllehi was most recently CEO of Real Zaragoza, but is best known for his time at Arsenal as head of football and Barcelona as director of football. Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas also owns Zaragoza. As part of a restructuring, Inter Miami announced Sanllehi as co-president along with Xavi Asensi, who was named president of business operations. “I would say, why not?” Sanllehi told The Athletic when asked why MLS now? “I don’t see a reason not to take this amazing project. I...

Paul Tenorio and Tom Bogert36

Lionel Messi and Argentina will take some stopping at the Copa America

Two goals, an assist and 90 minutes full of class - Lionel Messi is in form heading into what could be his last international tournament

Felipe Cardenas10

Which MLS teams are most entertaining to watch? 2024 edition

With so many overlapping MLS kickoffs, which teams should you prioritize tuning in to see? We rank them from best to worst.

Tom Bogert78

Lionel Messi won't play in 2024 Olympics for Argentina

"I have to choose carefully, and it would be too much to play two straight tournaments," said Lionel Messi ahead of the Copa America.

Jenna West14

Lionel Messi says he expects to end club career with Inter Miami

Lionel Messi says he expects to end his club career with Inter Miami. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner joined the Major League Soccer club from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023 in a move marking the first time he had played domestic football outside of Europe. Messi, 36, explained earlier this month that he was yet to make a decision on whether he would participate at the 2026 World Cup for Argentina, and has now said he is “a bit scared” thinking about the end of his playing career. Asked if Inter Miami will be his last club in an interview with ESPN, Messi...

Ali Rampling and more24