If you've been eagerly awaiting Lionel Messi's return to action for Inter Miami, you might not want to consider what his schedule will look like, if the team fails to secure a spot in the MLS Cup.
Lionel Messi has had limited playing time for Miami, logging only 37 minutes since Labor Day weekend.
He has been absent from four of the Herons' last five games due to international duty and subsequently dealing with an injury issue stemming from his time with the Argentina national team.
If Lionel Messi can't rejoin Inter Miami soon enough, to assist in closing the five-point gap below the playoff line with just five games remaining, it's possible that his first MLS season could conclude on October 21.
This would lead to the longest competitive break of his career.
If Inter Miami fails to qualify for the playoffs and the 2024 MLS season starts on its usual schedule, Lionel Messi could potentially experience a layoff of more than four complete months between games.
This would indeed be an unprecedented break for Messi, considering his rise as one of the game's top talents when he emerged as a teenager nearly two decades ago.
Even if Lionel Messi were to participate in the Argentina national team's November World Cup qualifiers against rivals Uruguay and Brazil, there could be a gap of 95 days between the latter of those matches and the potential season opener for Inter Miami on February 24 of the following year.
Although this potential date is based on previous seasons, as MLS has not yet announced when the 2024 season will begin.
Lionel Messi, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, has experienced only one break in his career longer than the potential 95-day gap mentioned — when he went 99 days between games for F.C. Barcelona at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Under normal circumstances, his longest layoff, as recorded by Transfermarkt, was 87 days during the spring and summer of 2005, when he was 18 years old and dealing with a foot fracture.
Such an extended break from competitive play would certainly be disappointing for Lionel Messi's fans, as well as for Apple TV, which has a partnership with Messi that involves providing him with a share of the subscription fees from their MLS Season Pass service as part of his agreement to join Inter Miami.
Whether an extended break would be detrimental for Lionel Messi himself is indeed a separate question.
Recent weeks have highlighted that even the greatest player on the planet has human limitations that need to be considered at this stage of his career.
A prolonged period off the field could potentially offer advantages for him, allowing him to adjust to his new city, spend quality time with his family in Argentina, and concentrate on rejuvenating his body.
This could ultimately yield significant competitive benefits for him in the 2024 season.
On the flip side, Lionel Messi's eagerness to log as many minutes as quickly as possible for Inter Miami, after his arrival indicates that when he is healthy, he has a strong desire to be on the pitch as much as possible. There are potential ways to navigate this situation.
Some players, like Landon Donovan and Thierry Henry, have embarked on short-term loans to European teams in the past, which could be an appealing option for Messi, especially if it included a final farewell at FC Barcelona.
What's your take on this?