Messi Sends Message to Inter Miami Academy Players After Charlotte Match

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Despite missing Inter Miami's match against Charlotte FC, Lionel Messi took to social media to send a message of congratulations to the club's academy products who featured in the game. Seven Inter Miami academy players were in the squad, with five of them starting the match. Messi expressed his pride in their accomplishments, offering warm words of support to the young players working their way up to the first team.

Why it matters

Messi's message highlights the importance of Inter Miami's youth development system and the club's commitment to promoting homegrown talent. As one of the biggest stars in world football, Messi's endorsement of the academy players carries significant weight and underscores the bright future for the club's pipeline of young talent.

The details

Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano rested Messi and other key players for the match against Charlotte FC, with an eye on the upcoming CONCACAF Champions Cup clash against Nashville SC. Despite not featuring in the game, Messi took to Instagram to congratulate the seven academy products who were included in the squad, five of whom started the match. The young players who earned minutes were Noah Allen, Ian Fray, Alexander Shaw, Daniel Pinter, Santiago Morales, Ezequiel Abadía-Reda and David Ruiz.

• The match against Charlotte FC took place on March 16, 2026.
• Messi posted his congratulatory message on Instagram shortly after the game.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Messi is expected to return to the starting lineup for Inter Miami's upcoming CONCACAF Champions Cup match against Nashville SC, as the team aims to advance to the quarterfinals of the tournament.