Soccer legend Lionel Messi to start for Inter Miami against CF Montreal
The Argentine superstar was named to Miami's starting 11 alongside fellow former FC Barcelona stars Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba for Saturday night's Major League Soccer match.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time, Messi is an eight-time Ballon d'Or recipient as global player of the year and a World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022.
Hordes of fans swarmed Miami's downtown hotel to catch a glimpse of the global icon after he landed in Montreal on Friday night. Many more lined the streets with signs outside Stade Saputo hours before kickoff to watch Messi walk off the team bus.
This marks Messi's fourth match on Canadian soil.
The 38-year-old played his first professional game in Canada on May 11, 2024, when he was held off the scoresheet in a 3-2 Miami win over Montreal.
He also came off the bench in Toronto FC's regular-season finale on Oct. 5 last year at BMO Field and featured in Miami's 2-0 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal at B.C. Place Stadium on April 24.
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Messi, the reigning league MVP, has 10 goals and six assists in 13 MLS games for Miami this season.
The two sides last met in Miami, with Messi scoring twice and dishing an assist in a 4-2 win over Montreal.
Inter Miami sits seventh in the Eastern Conference with 29 points (8-3-5), but holds four games in hand on most MLS teams after playing in the FIFA Club World Cup. Miami dropped out of the tournament in the round of 16 last Sunday with a 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
CF Montreal is last in the East and second-last in MLS with 14 points (3-12-5), with just one home win in nine outings — a 1-0 victory over New York City FC last Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 5, 2025.
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