Returning from injury, Messi immediately scored

Messi was on the bench when Inter Miami hosted Philadelphia Union on the morning of March 30. The 37-year-old superstar has not yet recovered physically, after being absent from the Argentina national team's training camp for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. However, it took him less than 2 minutes after coming off the bench to score.

Right at the beginning of the second half, the 8-time Ballon d'Or winner was brought onto the field by coach Javier Mascherano in the 55th minute. In the 57th minute, Messi received a pass from Luis Suarez on the right wing, made a quick move before firing a shot to raise the score to 2-0 for Inter Miami.

This was Messi's second goal in his last three MLS games this season, all coming off the bench. Messi has had a series of fitness issues since the start of the season. Two weeks ago, in Inter Miami's 2-1 win over Atlanta, Messi suffered a problem with his left thigh, which forced him to sit on the bench. However, after coming on, Leo immediately scored.

Before the match against Philadelphia, Messi's ability to play was still uncertain due to a muscle injury. At the last minute, Inter Miami's medical team confirmed that Messi was fit to play after resting and not participating in two World Cup qualifiers with the Argentina team.

The 3 points earned in this match help Inter Miami continue to lead the MLS Eastern Conference standings with 13 points after 5 matches.