MLS
Messi chooses the safe route in Miami
With clear objectives lined up for this season in Major League Soccer and beyond, a sensible approach is being taken.
It’s remarkable to see how an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, at the age of 36, can still be learning certain things that help him better manage the latter part of his sporting career. Lionel Messi, having experienced a somewhat uneven period since his arrival at Inter Miami due to injuries, has changed his philosophy to avoid being unavailable in crucial moments.
Looking back at the last few months of 2023, Messi spent much of the team’s most important matches absent due to an injury that worsened when he pushed himself to meet deadlines. In a year with a more balanced Inter Miami and the Copa América just around the corner, the Argentine star won’t hesitate to take a break whenever he finds himself in a delicate situation.
Just as in the latest match against Orlando City, Messi chose to rest after receiving a strong blow against CF Montreal that caused him some discomfort. Prior to that, the veteran forward missed five games in order to fully recover from hamstring pains that could have worsened.
Messi: goal on the horizon
While this new approach to managing his physical condition is a lesson learned from last season, several factors are helping Messi to be more cautious in preserving his well-being in a very important year for his football career, at a stage where mistakes come at a high cost.
Messi has two main objectives in mind for this season, each carrying enough weight to warrant his cautious approach at this moment: the Copa América and the MLS Playoffs. This implies that, if all goes according to plan, Leo will need to be at his physical peak during the latter months of the year, and to achieve this, he must take care of himself now.