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Inter Miami had their three-match winning run brought to an end by New York Red Bulls on Saturday, with Lionel Messi bearing some responsibility for the Herons' poor showing at Sports Illustrated Stadium.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or holder had traveled to Spain on Wednesday to collect the Princess of Asturias Award for Sport the next day, before making the lengthy return trip to the United States ahead of Inter Miami's weekend MLS fixture.
However, the extensive travel and jet lag kept Messi on the sidelines from the opening whistle, leaving the defending MLS Cup champions without their most important and impactful player against a determined Red Bulls side.
The Herons found themselves trailing 1–0 within just seven minutes, courtesy of a Casemiro own goal, and went into halftime without registering a single shot on target. The team desperately needed Messi, who eventually entered the field just before the 60-minute mark.
Ultimately, the 39-year-old didn't have enough time to conjure up a match-changing moment to bring Inter Miami back into contention. The visitors went on to lose 2–0, surrendering second place in the Eastern Conference to the New England Revolution and dropping to third.
Messi's Limited Minutes Were 'Agreed Upon'
It is extremely uncommon to see Messi absent from Inter Miami's starting lineup. Even at 39 years old, the Barcelona icon continues to start game after game for the Herons, delivering standout performances for both home and away supporters on a regular basis.
Messi missed only two matches following an exhausting World Cup last summer with Argentina, and sat out just one game after the passing of his father.
Yet his recent international travels compelled Inter Miami to devise a plan to manage his playing time, even if it ultimately came at a cost to the team.
"This was something that had already been agreed upon," head coach Kily González said following Saturday's loss. "Obviously, he's been through quite a journey, time zone changes, temperature shifts and a whole host of other factors.
"We were fully aware of all of this, and we reached an agreement that this was the best approach to ensure he didn't suffer any issues, specifically to avoid any injuries considering we have another match this Wednesday.
"The goal was for him to recover and get some minutes under his belt today; as always, he performed well."
More Travel Could Be on the Horizion for Messi
As González noted, Inter Miami are scheduled to face FC Cincinnati on Wednesday — the club's third-to-last regular season fixture before the MLS Cup playoff push gets underway.
But before the Herons welcome Pat Noonan's side to Nu Stadium, a far more high-profile event is set to unfold across the Atlantic: the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony.
Messi is among 30 male nominees for football's most coveted individual accolade, which will be presented this year in London. While the Argentine is not anticipated to win a record-breaking ninth Ballon d'Or, he is expected to be present at the London Palladium Theatre on Monday night.
If Messi does attend the ceremony, it would mean yet another lengthy overseas trip just days before a pivotal MLS match. González may once again be forced to restrict the forward's playing time, potentially leaving the Herons to suffer the consequences.