Inter Miami CF faces a must-win scenario against Liga MX side Club León in its final Phase One group-stage match of the 2026 Leagues Cup at Nu Stadium.
Club León leads the group with six points after securing narrow victories over Nashville SC, 1-0, and Orlando City SC, 2-1. The Mexican side only needs a draw to safely advance.
Currently on three points, the Herons opened the tournament with a 4-2 win over Atlético de San Luis but then suffered a 2-1 defeat to CF Monterrey. Miami needs a regulation-time victory against León to guarantee its place in the next round and avoid a group-stage exit.
Is Lionel Messi Playing Against León?
Lionel Messi is highly unlikely to play tonight against Club León following the recent passing of his father, Jorge Messi.
Regarding his return, Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos said there is currently no set date for Messi's return, although some reports have suggested that the Argentine could feature in the game.
(Photo by Joan Cros/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Inter Miami will also be without Luis Suárez, who is serving a suspension following his misconduct during last year's Leagues Cup.
Messi Pens Emotional Message for Late Father
The Inter Miami star broke his silence today following his father's death, sharing an emotional message on social media.
Messi expressed his deep pain over the loss of his father, who served as his longtime agent and played a major role throughout his career, both on and off the field.
Messi even admitted that he was unsure how long he would continue playing without his father by his side.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you, I don’t know how to go on. I just played soccer and now I have quite a few doubts that I’ll continue doing it for much longer. You were by my side from the beginning, it was so close to the end. Didn’t you hold on a little longer and we could have finished together?” he wrote.
