Messi and De Paul to miss next two Inter Miami games

Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul will miss Inter Miami's next two Major League Soccer matches to rest after participating in the FIFA World Cup with Argentina, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Both players were part of Argentina's squad for the World Cup qualifiers, with Messi scoring in a recent win and De Paul playing a key midfield role. The decision comes after discussions between the players and Inter Miami's coaching staff to manage their workloads.

Fixture impact

Messi and De Paul are expected to be absent for Inter Miami's upcoming home match against Toronto FC and the subsequent away fixture at San Jose Earthquakes. The club has not specified a return date, but both players are likely to train independently before rejoining the squad.

• Messi featured in both of Argentina's World Cup qualifiers this month.
• De Paul started in the midfield against Uruguay and Brazil.
• Inter Miami currently sits third in the Eastern Conference table.
• The team has a depth of attacking options to cover Messi's absence.
• Head coach Gerardo Martino confirmed the rest period is precautionary.

What's next

Inter Miami will lean on other designated players such as Leonardo Campana and Benjamin Cremaschi in the upcoming matches. The club aims to maintain its playoff push while ensuring Messi and De Paul return fully fit for the final stretch of the regular season.