Football superstar Lionel Messi has returned to training with Inter Miami on Thursday, July 30th, 2026, just 10 days after Argentina’s World Cup campaign ended with a 1-0 extra-time loss to Spain in the final earlier this month.

The 39-year-old two-time defending MLS MVP missed Miami’s first two matches after the World Cup break against Chicago and Montreal, both of which Inter Miami won, extending the team’s winning streak to six matches.

Messi also opted out of participating in the MLS versus Liga MX All-Star Game held in Charlotte on Wednesday night, choosing instead to spend time with his father, Jorge, who is battling an undisclosed illness, as announced by the Messi family during the World Cup.

At this year’s World Cup, Messi, playing in his record sixth tournament, scored eight goals and provided four assists. He came within one win of leading Argentina to become the first team to win consecutive World Cups since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. Additionally, Messi broke Miroslav Klose’s record for career World Cup goals with his 17th goal in Argentina’s second match. However, French forward Kylian Mbappe finished the tournament with 22 goals, one more than Messi’s 21.

Sources: Al Jazeera