Lionel Messi is set to embark on his inaugural senior club match outside of European football with his Inter Miami debut
Lionel Messi is set to have his highly anticipated first game for Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup match on Friday, playing against Mexican team Cruz Azul.
His ex-Barcelona colleague, Sergio Busquets, might also start his career with Inter Miami in this match, with both players being led by their previous Barca coach, Gerard Martino, who took over Phil Neville’s position in June.
Jordi Alba, another Barcelona veteran, is also expected to join the team, with his inaugural game likely to be against Atlanta on Tuesday.
Messi, Busquets, and Alba are set to play alongside various players including a Finn with an English parent, Neville’s son, and an ex-Premier League player who commutes in a golf cart.
Sport News Center offers a glance at the teammates Messi, Busquets, and Alba will likely play alongside during the second half of the Major League Soccer (MLS) season.
Joining Messi & Busquets at Inter Miami, Alba comes on board
Goalkeeper
Drake Callender
Callender, a 25-year-old, had joined Inter Miami before their inaugural season in 2020 and is currently their primary goalkeeper. Though he has been selected for USA squads, he is yet to play his first international match.
Defenders
Sergii Kryvtsov
Kryvtsov, a 32-year-old centre-back from Ukraine, joined Inter Miami in January. He spent his entire previous career in Ukraine, with his tenure at Shakhtar Donetsk yielding eight league titles and 20 Champions League games. Kryvtsov moved from Ukraine with his family last year due to the war.
DeAndre Yedlin
Yedlin, a 30-year-old right-back from the United States, is the only one of Messi’s new teammates with Premier League experience. Between 2014 and 2021, Yedlin played 109 times in the Premier League, most of which were with Newcastle, following stints with Tottenham and Sunderland.
Christopher McVey
McVey, a 26-year-old Swedish player, joined Inter Miami in 2022 after spending his career with Elfsborg in Sweden.
Kamal Miller
Miller, a 26-year-old Canadian centre-back, joined Inter Miami in April after starting the season with Montreal, another MLS team.
Harvey Neville
Neville, a 20-year-old full-back, has stayed with Inter Miami even after his father, Phil Neville, was dismissed as the team’s manager.
Ian Fray
Fray, a 20-year-old defender, has been playing regularly after his first two seasons were disrupted by injuries.
Noah Allen
Allen, a 19-year-old, is in his second season with Inter Miami’s first team.
Ryan Sailor
Sailor, a 24-year-old, is also in his second season with Inter Miami.
Israel Boatwright
Boatwright, an 18-year-old right-back, has played twice this season on temporary contracts from the reserve team.
Midfielders
Dixon Arroyo
Arroyo, a 31-year-old defensive midfielder from Ecuador, is one of several South Americans to join Inter Miami this year.
Benjamin Cremaschi
Cremaschi, an 18-year-old, has been selected for both the Argentina and United States Under-20s squads.
David Ruiz
Ruiz, a 19-year-old, joined Inter Miami’s senior squad in April.
Robert Taylor
Taylor, a 28-year-old midfielder from Finland, is in his second season with Inter Miami.
Lawson Sunderland
Sunderland, a 21-year-old, made his debut in Inter Miami’s last match.
Edison Azcona
Azcona, a 19-year-old, is a senior Dominican Republic international.
Victor Ulloa
Ulloa, a 31-year-old defensive midfielder, has ample MLS experience.
Forwards
Leonardo Campana
Campana, a 22-year-old forward from Ecuador, was a Wolves player for three years before joining Inter Miami.
Josef Martinez
Martinez, a 30-year-old striker from Venezuela, is joint 10th on the all-time MLS goalscoring list.
Nicolas Stefanelli
Stefanelli, a 28-year-old forward from Argentina, has travelled extensively in recent years.
Shanyder Borgelin
Borgelin, a 21-year-old striker from Haiti, made his MLS debut this season.
Robbie Robinson
Robinson, a 24-year-old, was the top pick in the 2020 MLS draft.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami teammates
Who is Lionel Messi set to play with at Inter Miami?
Lionel Messi will be playing with an array of talented teammates at Inter Miami, including his former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. He will also be joining notable players like Drake Callender, Sergii Kryvtsov, DeAndre Yedlin, Kamal Miller, and many more.
Who will be managing Lionel Messi at Inter Miami?
Messi will be managed by his former Barcelona boss, Gerard Martino, who took over from Phil Neville as the coach of Inter Miami in June.
When is Lionel Messi expected to make his debut for Inter Miami?
Lionel Messi is anticipated to make his debut for Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup match at home against Mexican side Cruz Azul.
Who are some of the former Barcelona players joining Messi at Inter Miami?
Former Barcelona players Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba are expected to join Messi at Inter Miami.
Who is the goalkeeper for Inter Miami?
The first-choice goalkeeper for Inter Miami is 25-year-old Drake Callender. He joined the team before their inaugural season in 2020.
More about Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami teammates
- Inter Miami Official Site
- Lionel Messi’s Career Stats
- Major League Soccer Official Site
- Gerard Martino Profile
- Leagues Cup Official Site
5 comments
Wow Messi in the states!! Can’t belive I’m seeing this. Big change from Barca, huh? Go Inter Miami!
hurts to see Messi, Busquets and Alba leaving Barca. But i wish them the best, they deserve it after everything. still a bit sad though 🙁
Inter Miami is looking better every day! With Messi in the team now, we’re gonna be unstoppable, just you wait n see!
Gerard Martino managing Messi again, it’s like Barca in the US! It’s interesting to watch these developments for sure. soccer in the US is getting more interesting every day!
Sergii Kryvtsov huh, haven’t seen much of him lately. Hope he’s found a good place in Miami. Ukrainians abroad represent!