GOAL US writers discuss Messi missing Miami's game with Houston, and whether opposing MLS teams are right to make amends to fans
Lionel Messi made headlines last week when Inter Miami announced that he would not travel to Houston for their Sunday night MLS fixture with the Dynamo. Cue the panic from the soccer world. Social media lost its collective mind. Reddit got all petty.
And then, there were the Dynamo themselves, who released an official statement, acknowledging disappointed fans and giving away free tickets to fans for upcoming games to make amends.
Messi was not injured but was rather held out by Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano due to Miami’s "congested schedule" – in NBA terms, it would be considered "load management." The team had played at midweek and on the weekend for each of the past two weeks, both in MLS and CONCACAF Champions Cup matches. Since joining Inter Miami in July 2023, Messi has occasionally been rested during congested periods of play.
It all felt a bit silly, really. After all, it was one athlete, missing one game, for a fairly rational reason. But it does also raise natural questions. Messi probably can't play 40+ games per season stay fit.
Should fans expect him to – especially opposing fans who want to see the 37-year-old superstar play in their stadium? Is it fair to him? Should the best player to ever do it spend what could be his last season worrying about injury?
And then there are the clubs. The Dynamo won't be the last away team that Messi "cancels" on this season. Do they then owe their fans if he doesn't show, a decision controlled by Miami, not the host club? Should MLS intervene, as the NBA did when load management got out of control and multiple superstars missed games, launching a new Player Participation Policy for the 2023-24 season?
These are all interesting questions, simmering in the background since Messi first came to MLS .
GOAL US writers debate them all in a load management edition of… The Rondo.
GettyIs Miami right to rest Messi for some away games?
Tom Hindle: For the vibes? No. But for reality? Yes. They have a championship to win. Messi can't play 40+ games for his club, and then international friendlies and other competitions such as the Champions Cup and Club World Cup. Some have got to go, and if that means he misses a fixture against a Houston team, then so be it. Honestly? Get over it, lads.
Jacob Schneider: We are one week into the season. Rest? It's nothing short of pathetic. One week.
Ryan Tolmich: From a purely Miami perspective, absolutely. The Herons are spread thin across multiple competitions but, ultimately, will only be judged on how they handle the one at the very end of the year. If they don't win MLS Cup, they will have failed. Knowing that, they have to do whatever it takes to build Messi towards that, even if that means dropping some points or disappointing some opposing fans along the way. It stinks, but it's reality: Miami's interests are furthered by keeping Messi healthy for the course of the season, and that means he can't play 90 minutes every single game.
Alex Labidou: Match congestion and rotation aren't exclusive to MLS – there are plenty of managers in the Premier League or Europe's top leagues who bemoan the fixture list and criticize and leagues for being more accommodating to continental competitions. It's also not exclusive to soccer. NBA fans shudder over the phrase "load management." While it hurts the fans and overall interest in MLS when Messi does not play, ultimately Mascherano has to do what is best for his top player – and team. Last year, Messi looked out of gas in the postseason. With Miami wanting to go for multiple trophies this season, this is necessary.
AdvertisementIMAGNIs this all a bad look for the league?
TH: Well, it's not great, but that's football. Yes, this is Messi's league at the moment, but he is still a footballer who needs protecting. If it's missing a game here and there vs overuse leading to a hamstring tear that rules him out for the season, you'd bet the powerbrokers here would choose the former. Of course, there's a massive drop off for the club, and revenue lost for the league – but that isn't Miami's problem whatsoever.
JS: It's a mark on the rest of the league. There are expectations – with his salary partially being paid by every club, given the MLS structure – that he competes. He's more than just a player in MLS – he's the face of the league. If he can just be rested whenever Miami's decides it's time, it opens the league up to criticism. If this were July or August, and he'd just gone on the CCC run, played in the CWC and then started Leagues Cup, on top of domestic action – well then a case could absolutely be made and there would be zero argument against it. But we're one week into the campaign. It's a joke.
RT: This is where MLS is in a unique place compared to other leagues. If Liverpool, say, give Mo Salah a game off, there is no discussion. That's partly because of squad depth, as the dropoff isn't nearly as big in Europe, but also partly because of how leagues are set up. The Designated Player system makes a team like Miami look like "Messi and friends" while Liverpool are a team that just so happens to include a great player in Salah. Liverpool and Miami have the same goals – winning – but the way they get there is perceived differently because of the way MLS is both structured and marketed.
AL: It's not great. The issue is the uniqueness of what brought Lionel Messi to MLS in the first place. Miami doesn't exclusively pay his compensation – partners contribute to his overall package as well. So when he's rested when Apple TV is trying to get its new Sunday Night Football franchise off the ground, it directly impacts the streaming network's ability to generate revenue. Remember, MLS doesn't directly benefit from the Champions Cup in the way it does with the Leagues Cup, for example.
Furthermore, it speaks to a growing sentiment that MLS is too reliant on one star again to market itself, like it did when David Beckham played in the league. And at least he played against a star who might have been more talented in Thierry Henry. MLS at times seems make or break when Messi isn't involved – and that's a recipe for disaster for any sports league. It's time to add more stars who are at least in Messi's orbit to help lessen the burden on the Argentine needing to play every away game to help opposing teams with revenue.
IMAGNShould opposing teams compensate fans when Messi doesn't play?
TH: Maybe? It's not clear what this offers other than a pretty empty gesture. Sure, Messi is a serious revenue driver, but giving away a ticket doesn't help you much next time. Then again, sports without having to pay is probably a good thing? The real fans will keep coming back. The casuals will find another footballer to get excited about.
JS: There's a bigger picture here that the general public overlooks. Teams are relying on revenue from his participation in their home ground. That's just where MLS is at the moment. He is the hottest ticket in town, and prices surge as a result. If he doesn't play and the club builds up anticipation to the match by showcasing him, of course the club needs to say something – they're ultimately responsible for their marketing and their stadium. Free tickets? It's whatever. Find a way to keep the public happy while making things right.
RT: If that's best for their business, sure, why not? Teams are in business of generating revenue, and for many, the business of Messi brings in big bucks. Losing out on that stings and, ultimately, damages reputations with fans. If giving away tickets or discounts helps keep those fans and, more importantly, gets them back in on another day, then go for it. Soccer isn't yet at a place in which it can afford to exclude anyone, so the more the merrier – with or without Messi.
AL: Perhaps? It's seems the right thing to do when you see social videos of fans driving six hours just to watch their icon on the pitch – and he doesn't play. As a team, you need to find ways to drive interest in other ways, and that's one way to do it. But it does feel desperate. MLS and its teams are far too reliant on whether or not Messi shows. For example, a NBA team wouldn't do that, if say, Joel Embiid or LeBron James missed a game. They're confident enough in their own product and experience for their audience.
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ImagnAre there too many games, and should MLS intervene?
TH: Yes. There are far, far, far, far too many. The discourse here is a little confusing. Technically, the CONCACAF Champions Cup isn't run by MLS, and is therefore out of the league's jurisdiction. But there can be cuts elsewhere. Shorten the playoffs. You do not need a wildcard or a best-of-three series. Does anyone really learn anything from a 34-game regular seasos and a Leagues Cup? This is about money and business interests, but legs simply have to be protected. Soccer should be about who can play the best when it really counts – not whose legs survive longest.
JS: Of course there are too many games, but that's not an MLS issue – that's the soccer world right now. Too many FIFA windows, a lot of domestic and continental tournaments and of course, regular season play. It's created a hectic calendar that burns everyone out. From Miami's perspective, though, this is what they get for being good. Featuring in CCC this early in the season is a result of being a good soccer team. By being good, they play more games and have a chance to win more trophies. It's why they're in CCC and the Club World Cup on top of two domestic tournaments and regular season MLS. If Mascherano is already worried about congestion one week into the season, maybe coaching isn't the right profession for him.
RT: The answer remains the same as it always has: spend more money. More squad depth, more names, more talent – it all leads to fans caring more. Messi is a phenomenon but in the bigger picture, he's temporary – and, once he's gone, how will MLS respond? The only way to continue growing the league is to continue to spend money to bring in better players. If that doesn't happen, it doesn't matter how many or how few games Messi plays.
AL: Yes, but again it's not exclusive to MLS. It's a worldwide soccer problem. There are too many cup competitions and new ones emerging every year, ranging from friendly tours to the Club World Cup. All of these games devalue leagues – which in theory should be the top priority. There isn't much MLS can do, outside of adding more stars and quality across the league.