Messi set to start as Inter Miami opens Club World Cup campaign
Lionel Messi is set to lead Inter Miami in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which kicks off tonight, June 14, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
The tournament, expanded to 32 teams, features Inter Miami in Group A against Al Ahly (Egypt), Porto (Portugal), and Palmeiras (Brazil). Messi, a three-time Club World Cup winner with Barcelona (2009, 2011, 2015), is expected to start in the opener against Al Ahly, despite recent concerns after he requested a substitution in Argentina’s World Cup qualifier against Colombia on June 10.
No injury has been confirmed, and the move may have been precautionary. Inter Miami qualified as the host nation’s representative after winning the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield, a decision that sparked controversy since they didn’t win the MLS Cup.
The team has struggled in 2025 under new coach Javier Mascherano, with a shaky MLS start and a Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal exit
Messi, at 38, remains the team’s cornerstone, with 20 goals and 16 assists in just 19 MLS games last season, but he’s shown frustration with the squad’s inconsistency and lack of depth.
Key players like Jordi Alba, Yannick Bright, and Gonzalo Luján are out injured for the opener, and no new signings were made, leaving the roster thin.