Countdown to Kickoff: Lionel Messi's 2024 Debut with Inter Miami

In his rookie season with Inter Miami, Lionel Messi finds himself in an unexpected situation — an extended vacation (not the tropical kind).

The team's unfortunate 1-0 defeat to FC Cincinnati on Oct. 7 served as the swan song for their MLS playoff dreams. The last two games of the 2023 season? Well, they're essentially just dressing rehearsals. This means Messi gets an unusual but substantial break, giving him ample time to perfect his tea-drinking skills, and maybe, just maybe, contemplate the meaning of life.

Inter Miami's 2024 Kick-off Conundrum

Schedule Shindig

The 2024 MLS season schedule is still in hiding, playing a game of peekaboo. Expected to kick off fashionably late in February (taking cues from the 2023 season's Feb. 25 debut), it's like waiting for the latest fashion trend to drop. The league toyed with the idea of suspending play during FIFA international breaks from 2024 onward. Still, alas, no official announcement has graced our ears. Suspenseful, isn't it?

CONCACAF Champions Cup Capers

Inter Miami's participation in the CONCACAF Champions Cup 2024 adds a pinch of excitement to the mix. Earning a bye to the Round of 16, courtesy of their League Cup conquest, they stepped onto the field on March 7, 2024. If the MLS season decides to start fashionably late (quite the trend, isn't it?), this would mark the club's first dance in the competitive arena.

Messi's Offseason Odyssey

While there's a slim chance Messi might pull a disappearing act via a short-term loan during the MLS offseason, it's more probable that the 36-year-old maestro will indulge in an extended siesta. But don't be fooled; he'll likely be practicing his tango moves for Argentina's national team commitments. Who said rest can't be rhythmic?

Future Feats and R&R

Post-October qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru, Messi is poised to steal the show in the November international break, featuring in a showdown with arch-rivals Brazil. With Argentina's calendar looking emptier than a snack aisle before a storm (except for the impending 2024 Copa America), Messi gets the green light to rejuvenate from November to February. Talk about timing—just in time for the 2024 MLS season, where we hope he'll dazzle us with more magic than a wizard at a talent show.

Inter Miami's Preseason Parade

Inter Miami's preseason begins with a solo dance against New York City FC on November 10, with the potential for an encore featuring Messi's boyhood club, Newell's Old Boys, in February 2024. It's the kind of warm-up that even Messi's football could use.