Will Lionel Messi play tonight for Inter Miami vs Nashville in MLS 2025 Playoffs First Round?

Rajarshi has been part of Khel Now since 2022, and he covers world football.

Published at :October 24, 2025 at 1:46 PM

Modified at :October 24, 2025 at 1:46 PM

(Courtesy : Getty)

The Argentine star ended the MLS regular season as the top scorer.

Inter Miami will be feeling quite confident after finishing third in the regular MLS season, which gives them home advantage in the ‘Best of Three’ series.

The players will be determined to win the MLS Cup and will look to showcase their best in the upcoming matches.

The Herons appear to be the favourites to advance past this phase of the competition and into the quarterfinals based on their current form.

Miami, who are currently on a three-game winning streak in Major League Soccer, coincidentally defeated Nashville 5-2 in last weekend’s regular campaign finale.

Additionally, Javier Mascherano’s side are doing well; they have won six of their last eight games and lost only once.

It’s hard to picture anyone other than Miami winning this series because the first and third games are being held in Fort Lauderdale, but this is football, and strange things have happened.

As usual, captain Lionel Messi will be in charge and is the front-runner to give the home team the advantage following this first encounter, especially after scoring 29 goals in 28 games during the regular season.

Also Read: Inter Miami vs Nashville SC Preview, prediction, lineups, betting tips & odds

Will Lionel Messi play tonight?

Messi has trained with the team after a slight injury concern and looks fit to start the match tonight. Fans believe that Lionel Messi can lead the club to their first MLS Cup victory through the playoffs and solidify his legacy in the league.

Back and ready. Full steam ahead 🚂 pic.twitter.com/DmBFyKoAhD
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) October 22, 2025

Lionel Messi’s availability for Friday’s MLS Cup Playoffs match against Nashville SC has also been assured by Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano, allaying fears after the Argentine missed practice earlier this week due to a back issue.

Mascherano stated that Messi was cleared to play at Chase Stadium after returning to full training on Wednesday and Thursday.

Will Messi play tonight?

Yes, he is fit and should be playing tonight.

How many goals did Messi score in MLS this season?

He scored 29 goals.

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Rajarshi Shukla

After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.