Messi returns to MLS training 10 days after World Cup final heartbreak

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing its staff and Reuters, reported that Lionel Messi has rejoined Inter Miami training, 10 days after Argentina lost the World Cup final to Spain. The report, published July 30, 2026, said Argentina’s title defense ended with a 1-0 defeat in extra time earlier in the month, prompting speculation about whether the 39-year-old might step away from international football or even end his playing career.

Messi had not played in Inter Miami’s first two matches after the World Cup pause, against Chicago and Montreal. According to the report, Miami won both games, pushing its winning run to six. He also skipped the MLS vs Liga MX All-Star Game in Charlotte, with Al Jazeera reporting that he instead took time away to visit his father, Jorge, whose undisclosed illness had been announced by the Messi family during the World Cup.

The article said Messi finished what was described as his record sixth World Cup with eight goals and four assists. Argentina came within one victory of becoming the first team since Brazil in 1958 and 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups. Messi also moved past Miroslav Klose’s World Cup goals mark during the tournament, though Kylian Mbappe ended ahead of him in the overall tally referenced by the report.

Inter Miami, listed at 11-2-4 with 37 points, sits two points behind Nashville SC in the Eastern Conference. Al Jazeera said it was not yet clear whether Messi would play in Miami’s upcoming home match against the Columbus Crew. His return to training is significant for Miami’s playoff push and for broader questions about the final phase of one of football’s most decorated careers.