Lionel Messi is set to begin his 22nd season as a professional footballer, and he will do so with Inter Miami, a team with unfinished business. This Monday, the Argentine star returned to training after enjoying a well-deserved break.

A New Project Under Mascherano's Leadership

After the departure of Gerardo "Tata" Martino, Messi will once again be the face of the Florida franchise, now under the leadership of his former teammate (also Argentine), Javier Mascherano.

This project, although led by a new coach, has long had the primary goal of conquering Major League Soccer in the United States, a title Messi, at 37 years old, desires. Last season, that dream was thwarted when they were eliminated by Atlanta United.

Messi’s Training with Inter Miami

The Argentine star was seen wearing a white kit and a black hat. Various media outlets report that this preseason will be very different from 2024, which included an Asian tour, with the main goal being to ensure all players are physically 100% prepared to pursue their objectives.

Mascherano Wants Reinforcements

Javier Mascherano, the Inter Miami coach, recently expressed confidence that "reinforcements will start arriving this week" for his team.

"We know about all the departures, especially since we had many players on loan, and those contracts couldn’t be renewed. We’re working on it. I trust that this week some reinforcements we’re working on will come through," Mascherano said in a press conference.

"But, of course, it will depend a lot on paperwork and visas. We know it’s complicated to start training with us once they have all the papers in order," he added.

Mascherano will manage a group that includes former Barcelona teammates such as Leo Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suárez.

Among the players Inter Miami has lost in recent weeks are Ecuador's Leonardo Campana, Paraguay’s Diego Gómez and Matías Rojas, and Argentina's Franco Negri.

"The first goal is to get the squad fit, physically and football-wise, because when one stops training and comes back from vacation, they also lose their football sharpness. The second is to start instilling our idea, how we want our team to play. This is done in training and then carried out in competition," Mascherano said.

"Since yesterday, we started training with the squad, and the feelings are very good. We’re happy with how they’ve returned from vacation. They’ve all come back in great shape, and that has allowed us to perhaps push them a little more from day one," he stated.

Preseason Matches

Messi, Luis Suárez, and the team will play their first preseason match on Saturday, January 18, against Mexico's América at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas (Nevada, USA).

Next, the pink-clad squad will travel to Peru to face Club Universitario de Deportes at Estadio Monumental in Lima on Wednesday, January 29.

Inter Miami's next preseason stop will be in Panama, where they will meet Sporting San Miguelito on Sunday, February 2, at Estadio Rommel Fernández Gutiérrez in Panama City.

The last overseas match of this preseason will be in Honduras, with a showdown against Club Deportivo Olimpia on Saturday, February 8, at Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula.

Finally, Inter Miami will conclude their preparation for the 2025 season with a game against Orlando City on Friday, February 14, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

Having won the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield, the team led by Messi has a special incentive this year as they will compete in the first edition of the FIFA Club World Cup, which will be held in the U.S. this summer.