Inter Miami will not give Lionel Messi a break during the ‘final phase’ leading up to the World Cup.
Inter Miami CF head coach Javier Mascherano does not expect to rest captain Lionel Messi during the concluding games leading up to the 2026 World Cup, stressing that the Argentine needs to be on the field for the team to succeed.
“We aim to take care of him as much as we can. We understand that he is the type of player who feels most at ease when he is playing on the pitch — and how that impacts his body,” Mascherano stated on Sunday after Miami’s 3-2 victory over NYCFC.
Mascherano addressed reporters via Zoom following the match at Yankee Stadium while serving a one-match suspension due to a red card received in Miami’s previous game against Charlotte.
“At this moment, he is preparing to join the national team; upon his return, we will simply assess how he feels on a daily basis,” Mascherano continued. “Clearly, he is an essential player for us to meet our objectives; frankly, without him, achieving our goals would be unfeasible.”
“That being said, we recognize that he is approaching the final phase [before the World Cup], but, as I have mentioned previously — knowing him as I do, and considering that many of the decisions we make regarding him are reached collaboratively — we must maintain open communication, consistently checking in on his physical condition and how he is feeling.”
Messi has not yet declared whether he will participate for Argentina in the World Cup, indicating that he will decide based on his fitness and how he feels leading up to this summer’s tournament in North America.
After Inter Miami’s exit from the Concacaf Champions Cup by Nashville SC last week, the team will only engage in regular season MLS matches prior to the World Cup.
“I don’t think we have many midweek games lined up over the next two months,” Mascherano remarked. “There are only two or three weeks where we won’t have a match during the week; otherwise, it will be a schedule of one game per week. Thus, any time we can rely on his involvement, it is a significant advantage for the team.”
Messi played for Inter Miami in the 3-2 win against New York City FC on Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, scoring a goal after completing the full 90 minutes. He will now join the Argentina national team for the March international window, as the defending World Cup champions are set to face Mauritania on March 27 and Zambia on March 31.
Argentina was initially scheduled to compete in the Finalissima against Spain in Qatar during the March window, but the event was canceled due to the ongoing conflict in the region.
CONMEBOL and UEFA, along with other members of the organizing committee for the match, attempted to negotiate a new date and location but were unable to reach an agreement.
