Why Inter Miami ‘can’t count’ on Lionel Messi as Herons adjust to life without Argentine superstar ahead of Copa America & 2024 Olympic Games

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is a talismanic presence at Chase Stadium, and the biggest draw in MLS, but he is 36 years of age and beginning to nurse the kind of niggling knocks that he has been able to avoid for the best part of his legendary career.

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Messi sat out Inter Miami’s latest MLS fixture through injury, but they were still able to claim a 3-1 victory away at D.C. United. USMNT star Gressel told reporters after that game: “This was a big one. Short rest, tough week, tough two weeks. Not an easy game, obviously, midweek and then to have to travel on a short rest in this league is not easy. And to come here after going down 1-0 as well, and being able to fight back and ultimately play really well, I thought, after the first 15-20 minutes, to come away with the win and get the three points without Leo is something that I think we can take a lot from.

"There's going to be stretches where there’s guys at national teams, where we play through those moments, where Olympics are coming up, Copa America – those types of things where we know or we've known that we have to rely on the whole squad.”

Campana, who was on target in the win over D.C. United that also saw Luis Suarez bag a brace, added on the need for others to step up in Messi’s absence: “We know how important Leo is to the team, what he is and what he represents within us. We probably really can't count on him all the time and we will have to take charge. Lucho [Suarez] is obviously a high-ranking player, as seen in the games he’s started in the league – scoring goals, enjoying what he knew how to do best. It makes me happy to see him score and enjoy himself here with Messi, with his friends and to know that he is happy.”

Inter Miami sit top of the MLS Eastern Conference, with 10 points taken from five games, and will be hoping to nurse Messi back to full health ahead of back-to-back meetings with rivals from New York – with the South American superstar not expected to link up with his country for international duty.