Inter Miami weigh Messi workload after Revolution triumph

Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano could hardly hide his relief after a hard-fought win over the New England Revolution pushed the Herons to 35 points from just 18 Major League Soccer matches. The victory, achieved despite another physically demanding night for Lionel Messi, keeps the South Florida club atop the Supporters’ Shield standings while still holding three games in hand on several Eastern Conference rivals. Yet Mascherano’s post-match message was clear: “We need to find time to rest him.”

Inter Miami must balance Lionel Messi rest and relentless ambition

Messi’s 54th goal in pink—and 14th of this MLS campaign—came in trademark style, a curling left-footed strike from the edge of the box that nullified the Revolution’s early opener. It also underscored the conundrum facing Inter Miami: the Argentine maestro’s brilliance is the engine of their title charge, but his minutes have ballooned since preseason. In all competitions, Messi has already logged over 1,800 minutes in 2024, including a string of midweek fixtures and cross-country travel that would tax players half his age.

A congested summer calendar looms

The Herons’ schedule offers little respite. A home clash with Nashville SC is followed by a cross-conference trip to Austin FC, and the Leagues Cup returns in July. Add Copa América duty—where Argentina will again lean heavily on their talisman—and the threat of burnout becomes tangible. Mascherano conceded that the club’s sports-science staff are pushing for a tailored load-management plan. “We can’t just look at the next game; we have to look at October,” the coach noted, referencing the MLS Cup playoffs he helped design from the bench.

Mascherano’s rotation options

Inter Miami rebuilt their roster last winter precisely for moments like this. Luis Suárez, still adjusting to the league’s physicality, offers a natural focal point up front if Messi is given a night off or deployed as a late substitute. Wingers Robert Taylor and Nicolás Stefanelli have shown flashes of creativity when entrusted with more minutes, while teenage prospect Felipe Valencia impressed in U.S. Open Cup duty. In midfield, Sergio Busquets remains irreplaceable, yet new signing Federico Redondo provides fresh legs and line-breaking passes that could reduce the ball-carrying burden on Messi in deeper areas.

Inter Miami’s Messi effect in numbers

Since the World Cup winner’s debut last July, Inter Miami have averaged 2.1 goals per game when he starts, compared to just 1.0 without him. With this latest strike, Messi now scores or assists every 68 minutes in MLS play—a rate surpassed only by pre-retirement Zlatan Ibrahimović. Moreover, TV audiences spike by an average of 42 percent for Inter Miami broadcasts, while DRV PNK Stadium has recorded 13 consecutive sellouts. Those metrics reinforce why the club’s commercial department hesitates to leave Messi out of the match-day posters, even for perceived lesser fixtures.

How his output stacks up against MLS legends

In only 43 league appearances, Messi has already eclipsed David Beckham’s entire MLS goal tally and sits within touching distance of Robbie Keane’s per-game goal record. Yet endurance, not records, may define his North American legacy. Landon Donovan famously paced himself through summer stretches with strategic rest days; Thierry Henry insisted on alternating turf matches; Didier Drogba skipped inter-conference trips. Mascherano will study those precedents as he crafts a modern adaptation for a 36-year-old who still detests sitting on the bench.

What’s next for the Herons?

Inter Miami fly back to Fort Lauderdale for a short recovery window before Nashville visit DRV PNK Stadium. The staff have already earmarked this fixture as a potential “managed-minutes” scenario for Messi, particularly if Miami start quickly and establish control. After that, a midweek flight to Austin presents another logistical headache. Mascherano hinted that the Texas match could see a front three of Suárez, Taylor and Campana, allowing Messi to recharge ahead of international duty with Argentina.

Opinion: Rest now to reap rewards later

Inter Miami supporters naturally crave seeing Messi every minute, but burning out the league’s crown jewel helps no one. A structured rotation—perhaps one match off each fortnight, plus early substitutions in games already decided—would preserve Messi’s magic for the business end of the season while offering crucial developmental minutes to younger attackers. The Herons have built depth; using it wisely could be the difference between a thrilling regular-season run and lifting silverware in December.