Every week, Lionel Messi garners more attention than any other player in Major League Soccer.
The Argentine star is largely considered the greatest player of all time, and therefore his every move is watched closely by fans and media alike.
Messi has rewritten the football record books throughout his illustrious career, but he has also occasionally struggled with muscle injuries and other fitness concerns. As he will turn 38 years old in the middle of the 2025 season, there are more eyeballs than ever on his weekly game status.
The Sporting News takes a look at whether Messi is available for selection, and what the likelihood of him seeing the field is on a game-to-game basis.
Is Lionel Messi playing today? Next Inter Miami match vs. Charlotte FC
- Next match: Inter Miami vs. Charlotte FC — Sunday, March 9, 2025 @ 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT
- Lionel Messi status: Named to the bench
Lionel Messi sat out the 4-1 win at Houston Dynamo on Sunday, despite not being confirmed as injured prior to the game, which led to plenty of anger from home fans. He then also missed the home CONCACAF Champions Cup match against Jamaican side Cavalier, prompting questions about a possible fitness concern.
Under threat of missing a third straight match, Messi was named to the bench against Charlotte FC at home, indicating there is clearly some kind of issue that the club has kept quiet.
It would have been reasonable to rest Messi for an early-season road trip to Houston in league play. It also would have been defensible to keep Messi out of both CONCACAF Champions Cup matches against a small overseas club.
Yet it makes little season for Inter Miami to keep Messi on the bench for a third straight match, especially at home against Charlotte with the road trip to Jamaica coming up. Unless there’s some kind of fitness concern, it’s nonsensical for Messi not to play. The ever-accurate Gaston Edul reports that the “intent” is for Messi to play off the bench, but we’ll see.
Inter Miami matches 2024/25: Schedule and results
The Sporting News will be updating the table below with the latest results from Inter Miami’s 2024/25 season as the matches happen.
MORE: All the latest soccer action | Lionel Messi news
| Date | Competition | Stage | Opponent | Home /Away /Neutral |
Result/Time (ET) |
Messi Goal(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, Feb. 19 | CONCACAF Champions Cup | Round One | Sporting KC | A | W 1-0 | 1 |
| Sat, Feb. 22 | MLS | Regular season | NYCFC | H | D 2-2 | 0 |
| Tue, Feb. 25 | CONCACAF Champions Cup | Round One | Sporting KC | H | W 3-1 | 1 |
| Sun, Mar. 2 | MLS | Regular season | Houston Dynamo | A | W 4-1 | DNP |
| Thur, Mar. 6 | CONCACAF Champions Cup | Quarterfinals | Cavalier | H | W 2-0 | DNP |
| Sun, Mar. 9 | MLS | Regular season | Charlotte FC | H | 4 p.m. | |
| Thu, Mar. 13 | CONCACAF Champions Cup | Quarterfinals | Cavalier | A | 7 p.m. | |
| Sun, Mar. 16 | MLS | Regular season | Atlanta United | A | 7 p.m. | |
| Sat, Mar. 29 | MLS | Regular season | Philadelphia Union | H | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Sun, Apr. 6 | MLS | Regular season | Toronto FC | H | 7 p.m. | |
| Sun, Apr. 13 | MLS | Regular season | Charlotte FC | A | 4:30 p.m. | |
| Sat, Apr. 19 | MLS | Regular season | Columbus Crew | A | 4:30 p.m. | |
| Sat, Apr. 26 | MLS | Regular season | FC Dallas | H | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Sat, May 3 | MLS | Regular season | NY Red Bulls | H | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Sat, May 10 | MLS | Regular season | Minnesota United | A | 4:30 p.m. | |
| Wed, May 14 | MLS | Regular season | San Jose Earthquakes | A | 10:30 p.m. | |
| Sun, May 18 | MLS | Regular season | Orlando City | H | 7 p.m. | |
| Sat, May 24 | MLS | Regular season | Philadelphia Union | A | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Wed, May 28 | MLS | Regular season | CF Montreal | H | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Sat, May 31 | MLS | Regular season | Columbus Crew | H | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Sat, Jun. 14 | FIFA Club World Cup | Group stage | Al Ahly | N | 8 p.m. | |
| Thu, Jun. 19 | FIFA Club World Cup | Group stage | Porto | N | 3 p.m. | |
| Mon, Jun. 23 | FIFA Club World Cup | Group stage | Palmeiras | N | 9 p.m. | |
| Sat, Jun. 28* | MLS | Regular season | Atlanta United | H | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Sat, Jul. 5* | MLS | Regular season | CF Montreal | A | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Wed, Jul. 9* | MLS | Regular season | New England Revolution | A | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Sat, Jul. 12* | MLS | Regular season | Nashville SC | H | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Wed, Jul. 16 | MLS | Regular season | FC Cincinnati | A | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Sat, Jul. 19 | MLS | Regular season | NY Red Bulls | A | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Sat, Jul. 26 | MLS | Regular season | FC Cincinnati | H | 7 p.m. | |
| Wed, Jul. 30 | Leagues Cup | Group stage | Atlas | H | TBD | |
| Sat, Aug. 2 | Leagues Cup | Group stage | Necaxa | H | TBD | |
| Wed, Aug. 6 | Leagues Cup | Group stage | Pumas UNAM | H | TBD | |
| Sun, Aug. 10** | MLS | Regular season | Orlando City | A | 8 p.m. | |
| Sat, Aug. 16** | MLS | Regular season | LA Galaxy | H | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Sat, Aug. 23** | MLS | Regular season | D.C. United | A | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Sat, Aug. 30** | MLS | Regular season | Chicago Fire | H | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Sat, Sep. 13 | MLS | Regular season | Charlotte FC | A | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Tue, Sep. 16 | MLS | Regular season | Seattle Sounders | H | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Sat, Sep. 20 | MLS | Regular season | D.C. United | H | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Wed, Sep. 24 | MLS | Regular season | NYCFC | A | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Sat, Sep. 27 | MLS | Regular season | Toronto FC | A | 4:30 p.m. | |
| Sat, Oct. 4 | MLS | Regular season | New England Revolution | H | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Sat, Oct. 18 | MLS | Regular season | Nashville SC | A | 6 p.m. |
* At risk of being postponed should Inter Miami progress to the Club World Cup knockout phase.
** At risk of being postponed should Inter Miami progress to the Leagues Cup knockout phase.