Inter Miami have already shown they can keep winning without Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul, but that does not make their return any less important. The bigger question now is whether a team that has won its last six matches can become even sharper with two high-level pieces back in the mix.
Messi and De Paul returned to training earlier this week after spending more than a week away from the team and skipping the MLS All-Star Game. On Friday, Guillermo Hoyos said the club had been talking about their situation, though there had not yet been a proper conversation with the two players because they had only just returned. He also said Inter Miami were genuinely happy to have them back.
That leaves Saturday’s match against Columbus Crew at Nu Stadium as the next checkpoint. Messi and De Paul could feature, and if they do, Inter Miami would suddenly have more than just momentum on their side. They would also have one of the league’s most decisive attackers back in a season where Messi is still in the race for the MLS Golden Boot and the MLS MVP Award.
Winning without them changed the discussion
Inter Miami’s six-match winning streak is the main reason this story has weight. The club beat the Chicago Fire and CF Montréal without Messi and De Paul, which matters because it suggests the team is not waiting around for two stars to rescue it. That is what separates a contender from a team built entirely around individual brilliance: the results still hold when the biggest names are absent.
At the same time, Messi changes the ceiling almost every time he steps onto the field. He entered this stretch with 12 goals in 14 games and 20 goal contributions, numbers that explain why even a brief absence still feels significant. De Paul’s presence matters too, not because he turns every match into a highlight reel, but because he helps Inter Miami keep the game under control in the places that matter most.
The timing is also useful. If Messi and De Paul do not return on Saturday, Inter Miami’s first match of the 2026 Leagues Cup would be against Liga MX’s Atlético San Luis on Wednesday. That gives the club a clear decision point, and it also means this week is about more than managing minutes. It is about choosing when the team wants to be at full force.
Inter Miami won the Leagues Cup in 2023, so the tournament context is familiar. But the broader picture now is different. This version of the team is trying to chase the Supporters’ Shield while proving it can win in multiple ways, with or without its biggest names on the field.
That is why Saturday matters. A return for Messi and De Paul would not just be a boost for one match against Columbus Crew. It would be another sign that Inter Miami’s best version is getting closer at the exact moment the season starts asking bigger questions.
