Lionel Messi took the field Thursday night as Inter Miami defeated Independiente del Valle 2-1 in a rescheduled preseason friendly held in Puerto Rico. The match served as a craft-up date after being postponed due to a hamstring injury sustained by Messi earlier this month.
Santiago Morales opened the scoring for Inter Miami, followed by a goal from Messi to secure the victory. The result concludes the team’s preseason schedule as they turn their attention back to the MLS regular season.
The friendly, originally scheduled for February 13, was delayed after Messi experienced discomfort during a previous preseason match in Ecuador. Messi addressed fans in a video message prior to the rescheduling, expressing his hope that the game could be played at a later date. He stated, “To be honest, during the last game in Ecuador I concluded with a muscle strain, which is why I left the field early. So, together with the people of the organization and Inter Miami it was decided to suspend this game. We hope it can be reprogrammed and we can see each other. Visit you soon.”
Despite playing a friendly during the ongoing MLS season, Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano emphasized the opportunity to deliver playing time to members of the squad who have seen fewer minutes. “This game clearly gives us the opportunity to, first, give minutes to guys who have perhaps had fewer minutes in the preseason and in the last game we played. But yes, we’re going to try to give everyone playing time,” Mascherano said on Thursday morning.
Inter Miami will now focus on their next MLS challenge, an away game against Orlando City SC on Sunday. The team suffered a 3-0 loss to LAFC on Saturday to begin the 2026 MLS season. A pitch invader briefly tackled Messi during the match, adding an unexpected moment to the evening, according to reports. Extended highlights of Messi’s goal are available here.
The win provides a positive boost for Inter Miami as they navigate a busy early-season schedule. ESPN has more on the match.
