Lionel Messi returns to MLS as Inter Miami faces DC United

Lionel Messi ended his 21-year international career with a final victory for Argentina on Tuesday. The 39-year-old scored one goal and provided two assists in a 3-0 friendly win against Benin at Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. More than 85,000 fans watched the match, which secured his place as the country’s most-capped player with 208 appearances and its all-time leading scorer. His international tenure concluded with World Cup and Copa America titles after years of earlier heartbreak.

Messi now turns his attention back to Major League Soccer, where Inter Miami hosts DC United on Saturday. The club is searching for its first win in five league matches and sits in third place in the Eastern Conference with 46 points. Recent results include a draw against San Diego and a 2-1 loss at Columbus, prompting a push to stabilize their form after an early-season Campeones Cup victory.

DC United enters the matchup with playoff momentum on the line. The team sits in 11th place with 30 points and trails the final postseason berth by three. They are also trying to snap a three-match winless run and secure their first victory since September 9.

The two sides met earlier this season on March 7, when DC United won 2-1 in Baltimore. Messi and Rodrigo De Paul scored in that contest, but Miami has struggled to find consistency in the weeks since. Messi leads the team this season with 21 goals and 13 assists as he pursues a third consecutive MLS MVP honor.

Inter Miami has managed only one win in its last 10 league games, highlighting a need for broader support beyond its star forward. Head coach Kily Gonzalez, hired earlier this year, emphasized the standard Messi sets within the locker room. “Leo is a person who every day conveys it ⁠and passes it on to his teammates, and he demands from ⁠all of us that you have to be at 100% in every way,” Gonzalez said on Friday.