The Argentine ace has been criticized in some quarters for doing very little running during games but it's wholly understandable…
It's become quite clear that, at some point, Inter Miami are going to have to win without Lionel Messi. They basically did it in their most recent match, a 2-0 win over the New York Red Bulls that saw Messi come off the bench to seal the win with a dazzling late goal.
But, even so, that was still a cameo, and a Messi cameo is still a massive advantage in MLS. It's also a luxury Miami won't have in the very near future as they prepare for some time without their superstar signing.
But how can Miami win without him and, as the season reaches its most important moments, why does Messi have to miss games in the first place?
The answer to the first question will come over the next month or two, while the answer to the last one has been made clear over the last week or so. With Miami pushing for a miracle run towards their playoffs, head coach Tata Martino is already making preparations for life without Messi.
(C)Getty ImagesIn need of a rest
There's a reason that Messi started on the bench against the Red Bulls: he was in need of a rest.
Since arriving in Miami, Messi played in eight games in just over a month leading up to that MLS debut. Those games came in five different cities, with Miami fortunate enough to host a few along the way through their Leagues Cup run.
It's a lot to ask a 36-year-old player that arrived fresh off a vacation. Messi has given his heart and soul to Miami since arriving, and has looked as happy as ever to do so, but the fact is that he isn't at the age where he can play two or three games a week for months at a time anymore.
“Leo and many other players are reaching an important physical limit," Martino said last week, "and from today we will start to evaluate this – how do I face at least the next three games? You also have to take into account the large number of games that we played in 45, 50 days.”
Because of that, Martino gave him 30 minutes off the bench against the Red Bulls. He entered with Miami up a goal and, by the end, they were up two thanks to Messi's brilliance.
Advertisement(C)GettyImagesThe master of walking
There has been some questioning, though, over Messi's need to rest. Why does a player that has become so famous for walking and not covering great distances require rest?
Especially in recent years, Messi's walking has become infamous. Statistically, he walked more than any other player at the 2022 World Cup, leaving his Argentina teammates to do the dirty work while he provided the magic.
Messi's walking, though, isn't out of laziness; it's by design. He's like a snake that's coiled up and waiting for the moment to strike. The second the defense loses track of him for one second, he's sprinting on by them for a game-changing goal.
Still, there are those that say Messi's playing style should make him less reliant on rest, with former U.S. men's national team star Alexi Lalas among those pointing out that Messi's legs probably won't be as tired as some of his teammates'.
“Load management? Messi walks around most of the game," Lalas tweeted. "Don't be so insecure. Messi has always walked…until it's time not to walk.”
Getty ImagesThe international break
It won't just be MLS games that will be tiring Messi out. No, the Argentine has international duty coming in the very near future.
Messi will join Argentina for the upcoming international break, which runs from September 4-12. That will rule him out of a match against Sporting KC on the ninth. There's another break in October, too, and Inter Miami do have a match the day after Argentina's World Cup qualifier against Peru on the 17th.
You have to account for travel, strain and tiredness when it comes to those international breaks and, as a result, Martino thinks Messi can miss up to three of Miami's 11 remaining MLS matches this season.
"It's something we have to get accustomed to," said Martino. "He's going to miss at least three games – he's going to get called up by his national team – and we need to keep winning."
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty ImagesNot the only one
Messi isn't the only Inter Miami star that could miss time for international soccer. No, the club could be totally decimated by call ups over the next two months.
DeAndre Yedlin, Josef Martinez, Drake Callendar, Kamal Miller, Diego Gomez, Leo Campana, Robert Taylor, Serhiy Kryvtsov, David Ruiz, Edson Azcona and Benjamin Cremachi could all be involved in international matches over the coming two windows. It's not a guarantee that all will leave, and some likely won't, but it's a lot of players to potentially lose for any period of time as Miami chase a postseason spot.
The good news is that the club reinforced this summer, and Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba are obviously equipped to lead in Messi's absence. Players like Facundo Farias could certainly use the opportunity, while the club has done a good job of building up some of the homegrown stars mentioned above, not all of whom will be called in for international matches.
The good news? Martino dropped some news about next season, saying MLS plans to do away with the long-criticized scheduling that has seen teams play through the international breaks.
"I understand that they are analyzing that for next year," Martino said. "It is probable that that will happen."
Still, it'll be tricky to navigate in the here and now, especially given Miami's situation in MLS.