Sports Buzz

Tag: MLS – English

  • When will Lionel Messi play again with Inter Miami? Argentinian's comeback has been delayed

    When will Lionel Messi play again with Inter Miami? Argentinian's comeback has been delayed

    Lionel Messi’s ongoing injury saga continues to stir concerns as the legendary forward has been ruled out of Argentina’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

    Messi was chased down by stalker fans in a hotel

    Messi’s recovery taking longer than expected

    The 37-year-old has been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury during the Copa America final, leaving both fans and his teams anxiously awaiting his return.

    Despite initial hopes that Messi might soon be back on the pitch, reports suggest that his recovery is still ongoing.

    According to Argentinian journalist Hernn Claus, Messi is focused on strengthening his ankle and progressing cautiously.

    Although he has not yet resumed group training, there is cautious optimism that he could feature in Inter Miami’s match against Chicago Fire on August 31.

    However, the primary target remains the September 14 clash with Philadelphia Union.

    Inter Miami, the club Messi joined in 2023, has been navigating a challenging period without their star player.

    Head coach Tata Martino has remained tight-lipped about Messi’s exact return date, but the team has managed to hold its own in the MLS.

    With a solid 8-3-3 record in games Messi hasn’t started, the Herons have shown resilience, even as they eagerly anticipate his return.

    Will Messi play in the 2026 World Cup?

    Messi’s absence from Argentina’s squad for the World Cup qualifiers is also significant.

    With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, questions are beginning to surface about Messi’s ability to continue competing at the highest level.

    The intense demands of balancing club and international duties, combined with his recent injury history, have raised concerns about his long-term fitness.

    As Messi’s recovery continues, the pressure is mounting on both Inter Miami and Argentina.

    The Florida-based club is keen to have their talisman back in time for the MLS playoffs, while Argentina hopes to see him leading the national team once again.

    For now, fans will have to wait a little longer to see Lionel Messi back in action.

    Whether he will return at full strength remains to be seen.



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  • Toluca beats Sporting Kansas City and wins West 4 as they secure a spot in the next round of the Laagues Cup

    Toluca beats Sporting Kansas City and wins West 4 as they secure a spot in the next round of the Laagues Cup

    Toluca defeated Sporting Kansas City with a score of 2-1 and with that they finished this stage at the top of West 4 with six points, leaving its rival with three in Monday’s Leagues Cup activity.

    From the first minutes, Toluca showed danger in a play where Brian Garca put in a cross and Juan ‘Juanpi’ Domnguez finished on goal, but the goalkeeper prevented his goal from falling.

    But the rival did not give up and in the 12th minute, he sent a shot that went over the goal defended by Thiago Volpi. Sporting Kansas City continued to insist and in ’34, Thiago Volpi saved the ball with great reflexes, after an important arrival from his opponent.

    Apple TV: The Home of Leagues Cup / MLS Season Pass

    The red devils finish leaders | Toluca 2-1 Sporting KC | Goals and Highlights | Leagues CupMLS / APPLE TV

    However, the Scarlets were also determined to continue searching for goals; Jess ‘Canelo’ Angulo stole a ball in the area and after a couple of dribbles, he sent it to the net with power so that Toluca took the lead on the scoreboard at 39.

    Overcoming adversity

    However, before going to halftime, Kansas City found the way to the goal with a good shot by Stephen Afrifa, after wasting another important shot in the 42nd minute. After the break, Renato Paiva changed his starting lineup reserving his best men for the next round.

    Toluca did not lose its punch and at 61hh minute, Brian Garca was close to score the second for his team. At the 65th minute 65, Maxi Araujo would not fail and after a good collective play he made it 2-1 for the Mexicans, after being assisted by Garca himself.

    Kansas City’s desperation to gain a draw showed near the end, but some ‘Devils’ well-positioned on defense prevented their opponent from achieving their goal and Toluca moved forward in the tournament, leaving a good taste in the mouth.



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  • Cruz Azul qualifies to Leagues Cup next round after penalties were needed against Philadelphia Union

    Cruz Azul qualifies to Leagues Cup next round after penalties were needed against Philadelphia Union

    Cruz Azul suffered a lot to extend the match to the penalty round to get a win against Philadelphia Union, who rescued the tie in the ninety minutes and sentenced the Mexican squad to take the second place in Group East 7 of the Leagues Cup.

    The Liga MX team rediscovered their best level during the first half and took possession of the ball. The dominance of the Mexicans did not cease, and they saw their effort rewarded in the 41st minute, after an incredible collective display and after several first-class passes, the ball was fully for Carlos Rotondi, who did not miss this time and with a left footed shot to the far post to the advantage of his team.

    Apple TV: The Home of Leagues Cup / MLS Season Pass

    The draw was not enough | Philadelphia Union (3)1-1(5) Cruz Azul | Goals & Highlights | Leagues CupMLS / APPLE TV

    For the second half, the MLS team was taking the initiative and little by little they approached Kevin Mier’s goal, however, they could not tie the game and Cruz Azul was desperate to try and avoid damage.

    Philadelphia Union to advantage

    When Cruz Azul’s victory seemed a inevitable, the defensive sector of the Maquina ended up ‘shooting itself in the foot’ and an error in as they started to mount an attack left the goal empty for striker Daniel Gazdag, who unleashed madness in the building with the tying goal and, incidentally, took the game to the penalty round for the definition of extra point.

    This goal assured that Philadelphia would stay in the top spot of the group, however Cruz Azul needed the extra point to advance to the knockout stage.

    Already from eleven steps, Kevin Mier washed out his mistake and saved Gazdag’s own shot to take the extra point, added to the scores from Gonzalo Piovi, Andrs Montao, Willer Ditta, Rodolfo Rotondi and the defining goal from ngel Sepulveda. Now the blue machine will face Orlando City in the next round.



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  • Messi leads MLS All-Stars against LIGA MX in Columbus

    Messi leads MLS All-Stars against LIGA MX in Columbus

    Lionel Messi, the maestro himself, has yet another accolade to add to his bulging trophy cabinet. The Miami magic man headlines the list of 30 players named for this month’s MLS All-Star Game in Columbus, Ohio, squaring off against the crme de la crme from Mexico’s LIGA MX. Not too shabby for a guy who’s just getting his cleats dirty in Major League Soccer.

    Messi in his first full season with Inter Miami after parachuting in July 2023, now finds himself on the MLS All-Star roster. At 37, and currently juggling duties with Argentina at the Copa America, it’s fair to say the man’s schedule is tighter than a drum.

    But Messi isn’t walking this star-studded path alone. He’s got his Miami crew-Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba-alongside him. It’s like Barcelona’s Greatest Hits Tour, but with a Miami twist.

    Messi and Miami dominate All-Star selection

    Now, let’s talk numbers. Eighteen MLS clubs are sending their best, with Columbus Crew and Inter Miami leading the charge-five and four players each, respectively. This roster? A delicious blend of 12 fan, player, and media votes, 16 selections by MLS All-Star head coach Wilfried Nancy of the host team Columbus, and a couple of cherry-picked stars by MLS Commissioner Don Garber.

    Copa America 2024: Will Messi and Lautaro start for Argentina in knockouts?Nacho Garcia

    Messi’s stats this season are the stuff of legend: 12 goals and 13 assists in just 12 games. That’s right, the man’s racking up goal contributions like they’re going out of style-25 to be exact. Quickest to do so in a season. Ever.

    The cherry on top? Messi, Suarez, Busquets, and Alba were all fan-voted into the squad. And Garber? He used his golden picks on Hector Herrera from Houston Dynamo and Darlington Nagbe from Columbus. Because, why not sprinkle a little more stardust?

    Circle the date, folks. July 24, 8 p.m. ET. The stage is set for the MLS All-Star Game, and if history is any guide, Messi will be the ringmaster of this soccer circus.



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  • Inter Miami can't stop winning without Messi, claim 3rd straight victory with Leo at Copa America

    Inter Miami can't stop winning without Messi, claim 3rd straight victory with Leo at Copa America

    When Lionel Messi is not there, it is Jordi Alba who is in charge of scoring the great goals for Inter Miami and this Saturday he scored an epic goal that could well be nominated for the Puskas Award during the match against Nashville SC in a Major League Soccer match (MLS).

    The United States League does not stop even for the celebration of the Copa Amrica 2024 in the American Union and the leader of the competition played a match without some of its stars that ended with a 2-1 victory to confirm its position as the best of the moment.

    Jordi Alba scored the second goal before ending the second half with a volley from outside the area that embedded itself in the Nashville goal.

    It was not over there and Miami pulled it off

    It all stemmed from a corner kick from the right that was cleared by the defense and ended up at the feet of Jordi Alba. The Spanish midfielder accommodated the ball with his chest and shot from distance with power, although not so angled in a shot in which goalkeeper Joe Willis.

    Inter Miami added its third victory in a row and its thirteenth so far this season after beating Nashville 2-1 this Saturday.

    Ian Fray was in charge of opening the scoring in the 40th minute and almost at the end of the first half came Jordi Alba’s great goal to increase the advantage. Hany Mukhtar put the discount for Nashville from the penalty spot.



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  • Inter Miami survive 2 reds, dramatically win first game with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Copa America

    Inter Miami survive 2 reds, dramatically win first game with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Copa America

    Without Lionel Messi and Luis Surez, Inter Miami signed a heroic performance this Saturday, beating the Philadelphia Union 1-2 in stoppage time despite being left with nine players.

    Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino’s team had everything against them for this one, not only because of the absences of the internationals for the Copa Amrica and the Euro Cup but because, in a defensive mistake, they conceded a goal in the 3rd minute by Mikael Uhre.

    Julian Gressel tied the match after the break, but the evening in Philadelphia looked like a nightmare for Inter Miami after the red card shown Honduran David Ruiz in the 69th minute and Argentinian Toms Avils in the 84th minute.

    But when everything seemed to be going in the right direction for the Philadelphia Union, the young Brazilian Leo Afonso organized a counterattack out of nowhere against a terrible defense by the local team and gave Inter Miami an epic, amazing and absolutely unexpected victory in the 94th minute.

    An expert in comebacks this season, Inter Miami, in which the Spaniards Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba played 90 minutes, remains the leader of the East with 38 points.

    Lionel Messi’s impact on the MLS

    In two years, Lionel Messi knew how to devour the MLS’ marketing and has already won his first title with Inter Miami CF in the 2023 Leagues Cup. But even more, the Argentinian has won a World Cup in his career, which makes him more of a fan favorite. In the league, Sergio Busquets has also won a World Cup with Spain.

    With that said, number 10 forward occupies the number 1 position on the list of best-selling Adidas jerseys in the league, according to data from MLSstore.com; in the Top 25 classification, fourteen nationalities are represented.

    Two other South American players appear on the list, Luis Surez, and MVP Luciano Acosta of FC Cincinnati occupy second and third place on the list, respectively, with Columbus forward Juan ‘Cucho’ Hernndez and Galaxy midfielder Riqui Riqui round up the list.



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  • Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are generating serious cash in MLS

    Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are generating serious cash in MLS

    There is no doubt that the best move Major League Soccer (MLS) has made in its 31 years of competition has been the arrival of Lionel Messi to its competition.

    The Argentinean star has shown that with his presence, MLS has become much more visible on a global level and one of its best assets is the number 10 on the pink jersey that the Argentinean wears in every game with Inter Miami.

    There is no doubt that the leader of the Argentine national team will make soccer much more popular in the country by attracting those fans who were still distant with their addiction to the sport.

    Mateo Messi plays American football with his friends on the Inter Miami pitchParker Johnson

    Other popular MLS players

    The Argentinean’s fame among fans around the world has spread to Luis Suarez, who is second on the list of jerseys sold, with another Argentinean on the podium: Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati).

    At $195 per kit, MLS is rubbing its hands together over the numbers that could be raised from this type of merchandising.

    There seems to be a huge appetite in the USA to see Messi and his teammates play, with the likes of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba also helping out with the numbers.

    There is no doubt that this interest will carry into the Copa America as well with the tournament taking place in the USA.



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  • Threats from drug traffickers force Di Maria to change his plans: Off to MLS with Messi?

    Threats from drug traffickers force Di Maria to change his plans: Off to MLS with Messi?

    Angel Di Maria, former Real Madrid player and current Benfica player, is living a complicated situation due to ongoing threats from several drug traffickers.

    Angel’s family received a threatening message a few days ago at the house he owns near Rosario, his hometown.

    Patrick Mahomes warmly embraces Lionel Messi at Sporting KC vs Inter Miami matchMLS

    “Tell your son not to come back because if he does, we will kill a family member. Not even Pullaro is going to save you. We don’t throw papers. We throw lead and dead people,” the text read.

    Fortunately, the people responsible for the threats were later caught.

    Has Di Maria changed his mind?

    But, according to ‘A Bola’, the situation that the player is going through has made him to change his mind about his future. At first he was planning to return to Argentina, but the plan has changed.

    “Di Maria’s decision not to return has been made,” says the Portuguese newspaper. According to the newspaper, the player is considering other options such as going to the MLS or playing in Saudi Arabia rather than in Argentina.

    The reason for the threats seems to be to put fear in public figures. Leo Messi, his compatriot, has also received threats in the past.

    Di Maria’s future is still up in the air, although the drug traffickers seem to have cleared it up for him.



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  • Inter Miami suffer heavy loss to NY Red Bulls without Lionel Messi's on-field support

    Inter Miami suffer heavy loss to NY Red Bulls without Lionel Messi's on-field support

    Inter Miami experienced a match to forget this afternoon, being thrashed 4-0 in their visit to the New York Red Bulls home, on Day 5 of the 2024 MLS season.

    Without Messi who is absent due to injury, the team coached by Gerardo Martino could not get the three points and ended up losing by a meaningful score, their main concern was RB gunner Lewis Morgan, a former player of Inter Miami who excelled with a hat-trick. Winkelman Carmona scored the team’s other goal.

    Without Messi, the home team wins easily I New York RB 4-0 Inter Miami I MLS

    Messi is currently on the injured list

    Inter Miami was surprised as they were down early in the match after only 3 minutes when Lewis Morgan scored the first goal. The former Inter Miami player did not celebrate as he does, out of respect to his former team.

    Although David Beckham’s team tried to react, with actions led mainly by Luis Surez, they could not finish the plays and the goal defended by Ryan Meara went into the break with a clean sheet.

    In the second half, the New Yorkers quickly appeared to widen the gap, with Morgan once again playing the hero’s role and making it 2-0 at 51′.

    At 66′, Carmona did the same and made it 3-0. At no time did Martino’s team have control of the match or look dominant, although there were attempts mainly by Surez and Campana.

    Lewis Morgan’s hat trick was scored at 70′, making him the executioner of his former team, and also kept it cool.

    And when it seemed that Miami’s Noah Allen would score a lonely goal, the VAR review was requested and, in the end, the goal was disallowed, so Martino’s men went out with a clean sheet.

    Despite this unexpected defeat, Inter Miami continues to hold firm with 10 points, at the top of the Eastern Conference. On goal difference, they are in second place, just behind Columbus Crew and ahead of the New York Red Bulls.

    Inter Miami’s next match will be against New York City FC, next Saturday, March 30, and it is expected that Lionel Messi will not be on the field for that match.



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  • Inter Miami confirm Messi's absence against DC United: What injury did he pick up?

    Inter Miami confirm Messi's absence against DC United: What injury did he pick up?

    Inter Miami have confirmed that Lionel Messi will miss the club’s upcoming Major League Soccer (MLS) match against DC United on Saturday, as they look to avoid risking the team’s star player.

    “Following further medical evaluation, it has been determined that the captain has suffered a minor hamstring injury in his right leg,” Inter Miami said in the report accessed by TN media.

    Watch Lionel Messi’s near career-ending moment in dangerous play with MacNaughton

    “Messi’s availability will be determined based on daily medical evaluations and the development of his recovery in the coming days,” the report added.

    Will Messi miss Argentina’s game?

    According to a report published by TN, the injury could compromise his participation with the Argentina national team during the upcoming international window, as it is said to be a hamstring injury.

    Messi is scheduled to train for Argentina’s friendlies against El Salvador and Costa Rica on March 22 and 26 respectively; however, it is not yet clear whether he will be able to play in these matches.

    Tata Martino, coach of Inter Miami, already warned of the possibility that Messi could miss some upcoming matches.

    “He has an overload in the right leg, we did not have to take any kind of risk,” said Martino. “We tried to see if he could hold out a little longer, but it was bothering him and so we preferred to take him out of the game.

    “I don’t want to take any risks but I imagine he won’t be available for Saturday’s game,” Martino told reporters after their most recent match.



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