Lafc Vs Inter Miami: Messi Cleared, Beckham Sends Rallying Message Ahead of Season Opener
You have reached the UK edition of the site's coverage. Stay on the current site or go to the US version. Herculez Gomez and Mau Pedroza are split between Inter Miami and LAFC for the winners of the 2026 MLS Cup. (2: 12)
Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano has confirmed Lionel Messi will be available to feature in the Major League Soccer season opener against Los Angeles FC on Saturday night, a development that shapes expectations for this high-profile clash. The matchup framed as lafc vs inter miami carries extra weight as Miami begins life defending its MLS crown and LAFC fields a star-studded roster.
Messi availability and injury timeline
Mascherano said Messi is fine and has been training at the same level as the rest of the team all week, returning to full-group work after suffering a muscle strain in his left hamstring in the preseason friendly versus Barcelona SC on February 7. Messi started that friendly but left the pitch in the 58th minute and watched the remainder from the sidelines. Inter Miami later rescheduled its final preseason friendly against Independiente del Valle in Puerto Rico to Feb. 26, moved from the original Feb. 13 date. The head coach emphasized that all players who traveled with the team to California will be available for selection.
Lafc Vs Inter Miami: squad notes and key names
The group available for selection includes newly signed Designated Player Germán Berterame and now-permanent Inter Miami figure Tadeo Allende. On the LAFC side, the visitors will face a lineup built around former Premier League star Son Heung-min, former MLS MVP Denis Bouanga and longtime Portuguese top-flight midfielder, Stephen Eustáquio. The meeting will be just the fourth MLS clash between the two high-spending clubs since Miami joined the league in 2020 and signals the start of a budding rivalry between Son and Miami’s Lionel Messi, the two-time defending MLS MVP.
Beckham’s message and club mood
Co-owner David Beckham publicly shared a heartfelt message for Inter Miami supporters, commonly known as La Familia, telling fans the team is "hungry for more" after winning the 2025 MLS Cup. Beckham framed the new season as the start of a title defense and expressed excitement about what lies ahead for the club. That tone sits alongside other club ambitions: while Miami will aim to repeat as MLS Cup champions, the roster and ownership have set additional targets beyond domestic defense.
Wider ambitions: cups and schedule
Inter Miami enters the 2026 campaign as the reigning MLS champions, having lifted the 2025 MLS Cup by defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps. The club will compete in the Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup and Campeones Cup in addition to the MLS regular season. Co-owner Jorge Mas immediately targeted the Concacaf Champions Cup in the moments after MLS Cup was awarded in December by MLS leadership.
Fixture roadmap and next steps
Following Miami’s season-opening clash against LAFC, the club looks ahead to three more MLS matches on the road against Orlando City, D. C. United and Charlotte FC, before embarking on their Concacaf journey in Fort Lauderdale against either Nashville SC or Canadian Premier League champions Atlético Ottawa on March 18. While Miami will play away to start their Concacaf Champions Cup journey in March, the second leg of their tie will take place at Chase Stadium, where unclear in the provided context.
Match expectations and tactical framing
Mascherano acknowledged the match will be difficult given the caliber of players on both teams, calling them two great teams and saying that, on paper, both should be contenders. He described Inter Miami’s ideal game as one focused on controlling possession, sustaining long spells with the ball and preventing Los Angeles from making quick transitions and getting forward rapidly. That tactical brief will guide selection and preparation for the Saturday night kickoff as lafc vs inter miami kicks off Miami’s title defense.
Recent coverage notes the matchup’s significance for supporters and the league; details may evolve as team news is finalized ahead of kickoff.
