Lionel Messi is fully recovered from muscle injury and available for Inter Miami's opening match
New Designated Player Germán Berterame has received his work visa and will make his MLS debut
Both players were uncertain for the match until recent developments
The match is the sixth meeting between Inter Miami and LAFC
📖 Full Retelling
Lionel Messi and new Designated Player Germán Berterame will both feature for Inter Miami in their MLS Opening Day match against LAFC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, February 22, 2026, after overcoming recent fitness and visa issues respectively. Messi, who had been sidelined with a muscle issue that disrupted plans for a preseason appearance against Independiente del Valle in Puerto Rico, trained fully with the squad on Wednesday under head coach Javier Mascherano. The Argentine star's recovery has progressed quicker than the initially projected two-week timeline, allowing him to be available for the highly anticipated season opener. His workload is expected to gradually increase in the coming days as he builds toward full match fitness. Meanwhile, Berterame has officially received his work visa after delays prevented him from integrating fully with the group following his transfer to the Florida-based club. The Mexican forward's clearance means he is eligible to make his MLS debut this weekend, providing an additional attacking option for Mascherano as the defending MLS champions begin their campaign. Both players had participated in Mascherano's South American preseason tour, though their availability for Saturday had been uncertain until recent developments. The match between Inter Miami and LAFC marks the sixth meeting between the two clubs, with LAFC winning three matches and Inter Miami winning two in previous encounters. Three of those meetings came in MLS play, while the other two occurred in the 2025 Champions Cup, where Inter Miami eliminated LAFC. The opening day clash is particularly significant as it begins Inter Miami's title defense campaign with both key players now available.
Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami (lit. 'Miami International Football Club'), commonly referred to as Inter Miami, is an American professional soccer club based in Miami. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Inter Miami plays their home matches at Mi...
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi (born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains both Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and the Argentina national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history, Messi has set numerous records for indiv...
American professional soccer club based in Los Angeles
Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) is an American professional soccer club based in Los Angeles. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. It was established on October 30, 2014, and began play in the 2018 season as an expansion team.
- No Data Available - BROWSE BY SPORTS & TEAMS PLAYERS SHOWS PERSONALITIES TOPICS Built on MLS MLS Lionel Messi, German Berterame Set To Play Opening Day For Inter Miami vs. LAFC Updated Feb. 19, 2026 6:03 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link Lionel Messi trained fully with Inter Miami on Wednesday after dealing with a muscle issue during preseason. New Designated Player Germán Berterame also trained with the group following the approval of his work visa. Both players are available for Saturday's match against Son Heung-Min's LAFC at BMO Stadium. Messi back in training Messi had been dealing with a recent muscle issue that sidelined him and disrupted plans for a preseason appearance against Independiente del Valle in Puerto Rico . Earlier projections suggested a recovery period of around two weeks, but the Argentine star’s progress has advanced quicker than anticipated. He trained at full intensity with the squad under head coach Javier Mascherano as Inter Miami prepare to face Los Angeles FC on Saturday in the MLS Opening Day clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The expectation is that Messi’s workload will continue to increase gradually in the coming days, positioning him to log minutes in the highly anticipated matchup. Berterame cleared to play The Florida-based club, aiming to defend its MLS title, could also have another key reinforcement available. Forward German Berterame has officially received his work visa after delays prevented him from integrating fully with the group following his transfer. Berterame’s clearance means he is eligible to make his MLS debut this weekend against LAFC , providing an additional attacking option for Mascherano as the new campaign begins. The doubts have been put to rest Both players participated in Mascherano’s South American preseason tour, though their availability for Saturday had been uncertain. Messi’s status was in doubt due to lingering muscle discomfort, which led to the postponement of the friendly in Puerto R...
