Lionel Messi and Inter Miami continue their quest for their first-ever Concacaf Champions Cup title tonight, facing the Vancouver Whitecaps in the first leg of the semifinals. With the stakes high, fans are eager to know if the Argentine captain will start in this critical showdown. The Argentine star has been gradually reintegrating into Inter Miami’s lineup after recovering from a muscle injury that sidelined him for international and club matches. Given his recent return to consistent play, Lionel Messi will feature in the starting XI against Vancouver.
In the pre-match press conference, Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano was tight-lipped about Messi’s status. “I don’t discuss availability before a match,” Mascherano stated. However, Messi traveled with the team to Canada, a strong indication that the Argentine captain is ready to lead his side. Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen acknowledged Messi’s greatness but emphasized that his team is focused on the collective challenge Inter Miami presents. “Lionel Messi has arguably been the best player in the world over the past two decades, and he deserves all the accolades he receives,” Sorensen remarked. “That said, this isn’t Vancouver Whitecaps versus Lionel Messi. It’s Vancouver versus Miami.”
Inter Miami will be without Robert Taylor, recently traded to Austin FC, but otherwise boast a full-strength squad. Javier Mascherano’s team will be as follows: Oscar Ustari; Marcelo Weigandt, Maxi Falcón, Noah Allen, Jordi Alba; Sergio Busquets, Federico Redondo, Tadeo Allende; Telasco Segovia, Lionel Messi, and Luis Suárez.
Messi has a perfect record in Canada since joining Inter Miami, having won both of his previous matches north of the border. The first was a 3-2 victory over CF Montreal on May 11, 2024, where Messi played the full match but didn’t score. The second was a 1-0 win against Toronto FC on October 5, 2024, where Messi came on as a substitute. Across those two games, Messi has logged 151 minutes in Canada, though he has yet to score or assist in those appearances.
On April 24, 2025, Messi finally took to the field in the Concacaf Champions Cup semi-final between the Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Inter Miami FC at BC Place. Messi landed in Vancouver on April 23, 2025, and the excitement was palpable among fans. More than 54,000 tickets were sold for the match, with resale prices climbing into the hundreds of dollars. This matchup was particularly significant, as Messi was expected to play in Vancouver last year but didn’t show up, leaving many fans disappointed.
Nearly a year after that disappointment, fans in the Canadian city got their wish. The Argentine icon traveled this time and was in the starting lineup for the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals at BC Place. The average listed price for the game jumped 92 percent, from $99 to $190, after it was confirmed that Messi would make an appearance at the game, according to data from Vivid Seats ticket marketplace. A crowd of 53,000 was expected, which would break a Whitecaps record.
The home crowd also got to see the Whitecaps take a 1-0 halftime lead on a header by Brian White at the 24-minute mark. Miami coach Javier Mascherano stressed in the lead-up to the game how important it was to score as many goals as possible in the opening leg of the series, and Miami maintained possession 71 percent of the first half, but Vancouver was the more dangerous team early and came close to scoring in the opening minutes. The Whitecaps took three shots on goal in the first half, while Miami managed just one.
Joining Messi in the Miami Starting XI were goalkeeper Oscar Ustari, defender Noah Allen, defender Maxi Falcon, right back Marcelo Weigandt, left back Jordi Alba, midfielder Sergio Busquets, midfielder Fede Redondo, midfielder Telasco Segovia, winger Tadeo Allende, and forward Luis Suarez. The Inter Miami bench included Drake Callender, Gonzalo Lujan, Tomas Aviles, Fafa Picault, David Martinez, Ian Fray, Leo Afonso, Allen Obando, Benja Cremaschi, Yannick Bright, and Santi Morales.
Last May, Messi, Suarez, and Busquets rested during a crowded section of the schedule and did not travel for the game at BC Place, drawing the ire of 51,000 fans who had purchased tickets. The crowd booed every time Miami players touched the ball early in that match, which Inter Miami wound up winning 2-1 on goals by Robert Taylor and Leo Campana. Neither of those two players is with the team this time around. Campana left for the New England Revolution and Taylor was traded to Austin FC on April 23, 2025. This was just a mid-season league game. This time, the stakes are much higher.
A spot in the Champions Cup final is on the line, and Miami is facing a Vancouver team that has been the biggest surprise of the season and leads the Supporters’ Shield race with the league’s best record. Miami leads MLS with 2.25 points per game, and Vancouver is just behind at 2.22. It was a battle between the best team in the East and the best team in the West. The Whitecaps boast a 6-1-2 league record, rank second in MLS with 17 goals scored, and are tied for fewest allowed (six) despite injuries to two of their key players, Ryan Gauld and Sam Adekugbe. Perhaps most impressive, Vancouver reached the Champions Cup semifinals by knocking off Mexican league powers Monterrey and Pumas. Inter Miami lost to Monterrey in the quarterfinals last year. In both their series against Pumas and Monterrey, the Whitecaps tied the first leg at home, then scored in extra time to tie the second leg and advance on away goals.
Vancouver’s starting lineup included Yohei Takaoka, captain Ranko Veselinovic, Daniel Rios, Sebastian Berhalter, Edier Ocampo, Andres Cubas, Ali Ahmed, Brian White, Tate Johnson, Tristan Blackmon, and Pedro Vite. Miami, which has played one fewer game, is the only remaining unbeaten team in the league and sits third in the East and fourth overall with a 5-0-3 record.
This story was originally published April 24, 2025, at 10:22 PM.
