Lionel Messi was not in the starting lineup for Inter Miami's game at Atlanta United on Wednesday key Miami player, Luis Surez, also was listed in a substitute role for the game that was expected to draw a large crowd to Mercedes-Benz Stadium largely to see didn't play a year ago when Inter Miami visited Atlanta, disappointing a crowd of 71 https://www.argentina2026shop.com/collections/giuliano-simeone-jersey, 635. But he was in the stadium this time around, setting him up to make a possible appearance in the second 37-year-old Messi made a mesmerizing return to Miami's lineup this past Saturday after a lengthy absence Julián Álvarez Jersey, scoring two goals and assisting on the third in a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia has the best record in Major League Soccer and is trying to lock up home-field advantage throughout the Argentine star and eight-time Ballon d'Or winner had not played with Inter Miami since June 1 because of national team commitments and a right ankle injury sustained in a 1-0 victory over Colombia in the Copa America final on July 14."A little bit tired because of the heat and humidity of Miami but I wanted to return so much after such a long time away, " Messi said in Spanish after the game. "I started training with the group and began to feel better."Messi scored twice in a four-minute span midway through the first half to negate an early goal by assisted on one of Messi's goals and and clinched the victory with a strike off a Messi assist during second-half stoppage was Surez's 17th goal of the came into Wednesday with 14 goals and 14 assists in league play, despite playing just 13 by The Associated Press.