JOIN SI SOCCER'S INTER MIAMI WHATSAPP COMMUNITY - GET ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND ANALYSIS STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE Will Lionel Messi Play for Inter Miami vs. Olimpia? Yes, Messi will p

With Neymar Jr.'s return to Santos FC, the Brazilian club is now aiming to challenge the top teams in Brazil. To bolster their squad, they have secured the signing of an Argentine player who was a former rival of Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

Lionel Messi is expected to play as Inter Miami faces Sporting San Miguelito in Panama City, Panama at 5 p.m. ET. Here's what you need to know.

The preseason match, which kicks off at 5 p.m., is the third in the club’s Americas Tour, which also includes a game against Olimpia in Honduras next Saturday. Miami won its first two preseason games in penalty kick shootouts against Mexican team Club America and Universitario of Peru.

After kicking off their preseason in Las Vegas with a 2-2 draw against Club America, Inter Miami will now travel to Peru where 80,000 fans are expected to be in attendance to see Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez,

Lionel Messi failed to score, but Inter Miami beat Universitario – Peruvian’s back-to-back champions – with a 5-4 edge in penalty kicks on Wednesday.

Sanllehi’s duties have been reassigned to the club’s academy director Guillermo Hoyos, a long-time confidant and former academy coach of Inter Miami captain and former Barcelona legend Lionel Messi. GiveMeSport’s Tom Bogert first reported news of Sanllehi’s reassignment.

Lionel Messi has appeared strong and in prime form in Inter Miami’s first two preseason games of the year. He's expected to play Sunday in Panama.

Inter Miami, with goals from Cremaschi, Allende, and Picault, defeated Sporting San Miguelito 1-3 on Sunday in an international friendly match that marked the return of Argentine Lionel Messi to Panama,

Inter Miami secured their first victory of the 2025 MLS preseason in their 1–3 win against Sporting San Miguelito.