When will Lionel Messi play next for Inter Miami and Argentina?

Lionel Messi brought his on-field 2024 to a close on Tuesday by guiding Argentina to a 1-0 win over Peru in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier, in which he set up the only goal for Lautaro Martínez. But with the Inter Miami star’s calendar year now over, when will we see him in action again?

When is Lionel Messi’s next game?

With Inter Miami having been eliminated from the MLS Cup playoffs by Atlanta United, Messi, Luis Suárez and Co will have a longer break than they would’ve wanted. The 2025 MLS season will begin on the weekend of February 22, although Las Garzas have scheduled a friendly against Florida rivals Orlando City for February 14. More are likely to be added around that time, so stay tuned.

Last year, Inter Miami played several other warm-up matches in El Salvador, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Japan in the second half of January/start of February, although there is so far no indication as to whether they could do something similar in 2025.

Will Messi stay at Inter Miami in 2025?

Those dates are, of course, presuming Messi stays in the United States. That does look likely to be the case at this stage, with the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner telling ESPN Argentina in June he “thinks” Inter Miami will be his last club.

That, however, hasn’t stopped reports linking him with one final move to childhood favourites Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina once his contract in Florida expires at the end of 2025.

Will Messi play for Argentina in the 2026 World Cup?

As for the Argentina national team, their next 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier away to Uruguay is due to take place around March 20, 2025, with the exact date still to be confirmed. Messi is still going strong at international level as captain of the most recent World Cup and Copa América winners, which continues to strengthen suggestions he could appear at the finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada in June and July 2026.

Messi and Miami’s rollercoaster 2024

Messi scored 20 goals and provided 10 assists in 19 MLS games in 2024, inspiring The Herons to their first ever Supporters’ Shield. However, they fell well short of their main goal of winning the MLS Cup after being eliminated in round one of the playoffs by Atlanta United.

The 37-year-old also missed 15 games in all competitions due to different injuries, which undoubtedly had a negative effect on the team as they were knocked out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the Leagues Cup.

As a result, Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino has been relieved of his duties, with Messi set for a new head coach in 2025, a year in which Inter Miami will take part in the newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup, also to be played in the United States.

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