COPA AMÉRICA
Messi returns to Miami to train with Argentina: can fans attend?
Inter Miami have the honour of taking in the world champions as they train at the Florida Blue Training Center.
The summer goal for the Argentine National Team and Lionel Messi is to retain the Copa América title in the United States, after winning the competition in Brazil in 2021.
La Albiceleste’s stars are preparing for the continental tournament in Fort Lauderdale, meaning that the home of Inter Miami is now the home of the world champions.
The Florida Blue Training Center is the training complex of Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino’s Las Garzas, but it is now being used by the Argentine team before traveling to Chicago to take on Ecuador from Soldier Field on Sunday afternoon. Through its social networks, The Herons released some details of what this experience is like for the team led by Lionel Scaloni.
The most important thing about this is that it will not be the only week that the world champions will work from South Florida before the start of the tournament between CONMEBOL and CONCACAF: the MLS side confirmed that Argentina will return to Miami to train prior to their match against Guatemala at FedExField in Maryland next Friday, June 14.
This is not the first time that Argentina have prepared at the Florida Blue Training Center ahead of an important competition for them: in September 2022 they were also stationed at the complex before going up against Honduras at the Hard Rock Stadium; months later, Messi lifted Argentina’s third World Cup, in Qatar.
Will fans be able to attend?
No information has been released regarding whether or not fans will be able to watch their star train for the world champion side. However, pre-tournament preparation is usually a very tightly guarded affair, and as such, allowing fans into Chase Stadium to watch Messi and co. train would be something of an unprecedented move.
In a totally relaxed setting, La Albiceleste completed a training session this Tuesday ahead of the Copa América 2024: it was the second time with Messi in the squad, as well as both Gonzalo Montiel and Franco Armani, who have now arrived at South Florida.
The friendlies and the preparation sessions will all help the Argentine coach to work out which players are in peak physical condition and can feature. Gastón Edul of TyC Sports announced that the team will travel from 4 to 5 days before to the city where each group stage game is held: Atlanta, New Jersey and, finally, Miami.