Messi might play in Miami for Argentina vs. Honduras at Hard Rock Stadium on Sept. 23
Rumors have been swirling for years that Lionel Messi is headed to Miami. Well, it looks like he is. Next month, in fact. But not to play for Inter Miami.
He is expected to be here with Argentina’s national team.
Argentina, one of the favorites to win the upcoming 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is scheduled to play a warmup match against Honduras at Hard Rock Stadium on Sept. 23, according to Fenafuth (the Honduran national soccer federation) and news reports out of both countries. Argentina is expected to play a second friendly Sept. 27 against Jamaica at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.
Hard Rock Stadium officials have not yet confirmed the match, so there is no information on when or how to get tickets.
Messi, Angel DiMaria and Lautaro Martinez are among the stars on the Argentine team, which won the 2021 Copa America. Messi plays for Paris St. Germain in France, di Maria for Juventus in Italy and Martinez for Inter Milan in Italy.
Other players expected to make the World Cup roster — and would likely play in the Miami friendly — are Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Paulo Dybala (Roma), and Giovani Lo Celso (Villarreal).
“We have to enjoy this occasion because Argentina is a World Cup favorite and Messi is one of the best players in the world,” Honduran national coach Diego Martin Vazquez said on the Fenafuth website. “We will put together the best team we can and do everything we can to compete against a power like Argentina.”
Argentina beat reigning European champion Italy 3-0 in the ‘Finalissima’ in June, extending La Albiceleste’s unbeaten streak to 32 matches. Argentina also beat Estonia 5-0 in a friendly, with all five goals scored by Messi.
Argentina beat Honduras 1-0 the last time they played, in 2016, and Inter Miami forward Gonzalo Higuain scored the lone goal.
Inter Miami Notes:
Inter Miami, which had moved up to fifth place in the East with a 2-1 home win over Toronto on Saturday night, slipped one spot to sixth after Sunday’s MLS results. Miami is tied with Orlando City at 36 points with eight games remaining, but Orlando has the edge because it beat Miami. The next three games are on the road for Inter Miami – at New York Red Bulls Saturday, at Columbus Crew on Aug. 31, and at Chicago on Sept. 10. Their next home game is Sept. 13 vs. Columbus.
Center back Damion Lowe was named to the MLS Team of the Week. Lowe, who is captain of Jamaica’s national team, had an assist on Ariel Lassiter’s goal and won five of his seven duels against Toronto.
Nick Marsman, Aime Mabika, and Joevin Jones, who did not get playing time against Toronto, started for Inter Miami II in a 2-1 home win against Rochester on Sunday. George Acosta and Shanyder Borgelin scored the goals for Inter Miami II, which is unbeaten over its past eight games and is in third place in the MLS NEXT Pro league. Borgelin has scored 12 goals this season, and was assisted by Romeo Beckham, son of club co-owner David Beckham. The younger Beckham has 10 assists on the season. Mabika left the game with a cut on his forehead that required stitches, but is not expected to miss playing time.
