The team announced that Messi would not play about 45 minutes before Saturday's game time. Without Messi, Miami still had some magic - Tomás Avilés scored off a header in stoppage time to salvage what became a 1-1 tie. NYCFC had the lead on a goal by Santiago Rodriguez in the 77th minute.

Lionel Messi wants Inter Miami to sign another Ballon d'Or winner next summer, it has been claimed. Messi became the biggest signing in the history of MLS when he arrived in Miami this summer following the expiry of his PSG contract.

Pedja Mijatovic has told La Ser (via MD) that Inter Miami are keen on signing Luka Modric, whose Real Madrid contract expires at the end of this season. “He has received offers from the MLS, from many teams and from Inter Miami in particular. Lionel Messi himself has personally been interested in the possibility (of Modric joining).”

Now, former Real Madrid player Pedja Mijatovic has told Mundo Deportivo that Messi has personally invited Messi to join him at Inter Miami. He said: "He has received offers from the MLS, from many teams and from Inter Miami in particular. Lionel Messi himself has personally been interested in the possibility (of Modric joining)."

Former USMNT star Julian Green has expressed his willingness to make a move to MLS, potentially joining Lionel Messi at Inter Miami

How and why the spectacle of Messi Mania is showing to be one part of a greater vision that ownership is instilling in the club and its communities: the Freedom To Dream.

Messi has now missed or exited six consecutive games between club and country, and is questionable for Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup final against the Houston Dynamo.

Messi has a leg injury, the severity of which has not been revealed by Inter Miami. The team announced that Messi would not play about 45 minutes before Saturday's game time. The 36-year-old superstar has now missed four of Inter Miami’s last five matches,

Lionel Messi missed another Inter Miami match with a leg injury, but the team rallied to salvage a 1-1 draw with NYCFC in his absence