Messi status uncertain for Inter Miami home game vs. Columbus Crew Saturday

Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald on Jul 31, 2026

Published in Soccer

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MIAMI — Lionel Messi’s status for the Inter Miami home game against the Columbus Crew on Saturday remains up in the air, but the Argentine star seems to be itching to play.

Although he could have taken the allowable 21 days off following the World Cup, per FIFA rules, Messi returned to the Inter Miami training grounds on Wednesday, 10 days after Argentina’s loss to Spain in the World Cup Final. His flight arrived before dawn and by mid-morning, he was back on the field with his teammates.

His Argentine teammate Rodrigo De Paul returned to training on Friday.

Coach Guillermo Hoyos did not offer a definitive answer when asked Friday morning whether Messi would play on Saturday and whether he and De Paul would be on the game roster.

“We are having conversations [with Messi], but he arrived a short time ago,” Hoyos said. “We have not had time to talk about that, but we are very happy that they have returned, and it makes us happy to see them.”

It remains to be seen whether Messi and De Paul play on Saturday (7:30 p.m., Apple TV) or wait until the Leagues Cup, which kicks off Wednesday with their group-stage game against Atletico de San Luis, followed by an Aug. 8 game against Monterrey and Aug. 12 game against Leon. All three matches are in Miami at Nu Stadium.

Miami could use help up front against the Crew, as German Berterame is out following a hard hit against Montreal that resulted in him exiting the field in an ambulance. Tadeo Allende remains unavailable after knee surgery. Midfielder Telasco Segovia and right back Ian Fray are serving suspensions for yellow card accumulation.

Inter Miami enters Saturday’s game on a six-game win streak after the 1-0 road victory against Montreal last weekend. The team is in second place in the Eastern Conference and the Supporters’ Shield race at the season’s mid-point, two points behind leader Nashville SC.

Messi’s close friend, 39-year-old Luis Suarez, has stepped up in his absence with a brace against Chicago and the lone goal against Montreal. He also had a hat trick against Philadelphia in the final game before the World Cup break.

Brazil midfielder Casemiro, who joined Inter Miami last week after four seasons at Manchester United, made his debut against Montreal and put in a full 90-minute shift with 77 touches and nine passes into the final third. He will play his first game at Nu Stadium on Saturday after being formally introduced with a ceremony and press conference on Thursday.

Rocco Rios Novo is expected to start his third game in a row, replacing Dayne St. Clair. Hoyos said the move was made because Rios Novo, who was Miami’s starter during its MLS Cup championship run, has characteristics that better suit the team’s playing style.

Miami has won six of the past seven times it played Columbus.

Crew interim head coach Laurent Courtois said he is preparing for a tough Miami team, whether or not Messi plays. Columbus is coming off an emotional 2-1 win over state rival FC Cincinnati that ended in an altercation, which started in the last minute of the game and carried on past the final whistle.

Some of that energy could motivate the Crew, while Miami will be looking to extend its win streak and please the home crowd.

“Of course, it’s Miami and all that surrounds the glamour around it,” Courtois said. “There’s incredibly strong areas of their game and they also can be vulnerable at others. And it should be an incredible game with the new stadium. Everybody’s really excited.”

Asked how he would prepare for Miami not knowing who will be on the field, Courtois said: “There’s one player that may modify a few things; but other than that, the guys in Miami are going to step up. They really want to show that they can be the next guy in line. So, I don’t expect any drop off in intensity. Actually, maybe more intensity and more aggressiveness.”

Among the Crew players to watch are Daniel Gazdag, Jamal Thiare, Taha Habroune and Andre Gomes of Portugal, who joined the team this season after European stints with Lille, Everton, Barcelona and Valencia.

Gomes acknowledged the prestige of Miami’s roster, and the fact that they are defending league champions, but insisted the game carries no more importance.

“Obviously, there’s the hype of the game, so these types of games are wonderful to play, there’s no need for motivation at all,” Gomes said. “But we also had Cincinnati and New York FC before that, and other games that were really tough. Miami has been doing well. They are the champions, so it’s special, and they have a wonderful squad; but it’s not more important than any other game.”