Argentina captain Messi was MLS's top scorer in 2024 despite an injury-hit year. The Herons want to learn from past mistakes.
Inter Miami is back in training and will be back in action soon, with one big challenge: keeping Lionel Messi fit and injury-free. The Argentine's physical condition was a major problem for the club last season, with injuries hampering his performances and the team suffering as a result. As The Herons' pre-season gets underway, everyone is aware that in a crucial year, with the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup just around the corner, it is crucial that their captain is fit.
“We have several games in preseason and we will see how many minutes he plays depending on how he feels. We don't want to take any risks. The overall feeling is good and we are happy with how everyone is back from vacation, allowing us to push them from day one,” new head coach Javier Mascherano told the media in Fort Lauderdale.
A fully fit and shooting Messi, as if that were not self-evident, is of vital importance for Inter Miami. The former Barcelona finished the 2024 season as MLS MVP with 23 goals and 13 assists in 25 games. Despite being the league's top scorer, several injuries limited his participation, causing him to miss as many as 23 games in all competitions. The club believes this ordeal started in pre-season.
Inter Miami learns from Messi mistakes
The team's global tour 12 months ago took Inter Miami across three continents, playing five matches and covering more than 7,000 miles in less than two weeks. It is a situation they do not want to repeat this year, aware of the physical toll it takes on the players.
“We are going to do a tour, but one where we take care of the players' physical needs first and foremost. It will be different from last year. To ensure that the players can have a good season, we will not compromise their well-being for global fame. This preseason will be different,” Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas said at Mascherano's unveiling.
This preseason the club has therefore only planned a tour through America. The longest trip planned so far is to Lima, Peru, for a friendly against Universitario. In a year where all eyes will be on the Floridians, the Herons don't want to repeat past mistakes as they look to win it all.
Original article written by Eduardo Burgos Rodríguez, translated with the help of AI and edited by Roddy Cons.
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