After likely finishing his last World Cup, when will Lionel Messi be on the pitch again?
The soccer icon was unable to bring Argentina back-to-back World Cup titles, losing to Spain in the final 1-0 on Sunday, July 19. While it wasn’t the end Messi wanted for his international tenure, his soccer career is far from over as he is still with Inter Miami in MLS. But when he suits up again for his club remains a question.
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World Cup players are granted some time off before returning to their respective clubs, and that does apply to Messi. MLS resumed its season on July 16 and when Inter Miami plays again on Wednesday, July 22, it will be without its star, and likely longer.
When will Messi return to MLS?
It’s unknown, but don’t expect to see him soon. He will be out of Inter Miami’s matches against the Chicago Fire on Wednesday, July 22 and CF Montréal on Saturday, July 25, ESPN reported.
The reasoning is because FIFA and FIFPRO, the worldwide representative organization for professional footballers, have an agreement for players taking rest periods. In 2025, the two sides came to a consensus there should be a 21-day period of rest for players.
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“There is a consensus that there must be at least 72 hours of rest between matches, and that players should have a rest period/holiday of at least 21 days at the end of each season,” FIFA said in a statement. “This period should be managed individually by each club and the respective players also depending on their match calendars and taking into account applicable collective agreements.”
If Messi does take the 21-day rest period, he would be available for Inter Miami as early as Aug. 12 for its match against Leon in the Leagues Cup.
He has played in 14 matches for Inter Miami in 2026, with 12 goals and eight assists.
While it is possible Messi can return to his club earlier than the 21-day timeline, it is unlikely as he is expected to return to Argentina to be with his father, Jorge, as he has been going through a health-related issue during the World Cup.
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“The Messi family informs that Jorge is going through a health-related situation,” the family said in a statement on June 18. “At this time, he is under medical care, recovering and evolving favorably giving the condition he is experiencing.”
Messi has yet to confirm if he will be retiring from professional soccer anytime soon. He posted on Instagram on Monday, July 20 for his first public comments since Argentina’s World Cup final loss a day prior. He scored eight goals in eight matches at the World Cup, finishing runner-up to Kylian Mbappe in the Golden Boot race.
“The pain is huge, and this wound will take time to heal,” Messi wrote. “But I also hold onto all the good things… The matches we turned around by giving it our all — moments that will remain in our memories forever — and the support of an entire country which, combined with this group’s hard work and effort, brought us back among the world’s elite once again.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When will Lionel Messi return to MLS? Expected time for Inter Miami
