Lionel Messi apologizes to his fans

Lionel Messi touched the hearts of Puerto Rican supporters by sharing a video of himself seated on steps, offering a direct apology following Inter Miami’s decision to delay the friendly match because of his fitness issues.

Accordingly, Inter Miami’s 2026 preseason was progressing smoothly under coach Javier Mascherano until the club had to announce the postponement of the friendly against Independiente del Valle in Puerto Rico.Just minutes after the official announcement, Messi uploaded a video on Instagram to explain and apologize to the fans.

In the video, Messi revealed he experienced physical discomfort during the previous match in Ecuador against Barcelona SC, where he had to leave the field at the 57th minute: “I want to send my regards to all the people of Puerto Rico who planned to attend the training and the match. Unfortunately, I finished the last game with pain, so I had to leave the pitch early,” Messi shared. He mentioned that together with the club and organizers, they agreed to postpone the match and expressed hope to meet the fans soon.

The Argentine superstar also expressed gratitude upon hearing that all tickets were sold out: “I send everyone a big hug and thank you for the support. I know you were all eagerly waiting. Hopefully, we will see each other soon.”

Good news quickly reached Puerto Rican supporters when Messi posted a story confirming the match would be rescheduled to February 26 and held at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium:“Unfortunately, I got injured in the previous match, but we are very eager to see you all. So, together with the club, we found an alternative date to play in Puerto Rico,” Messi wrote.

Protecting Messi’s physical condition is now Inter Miami’s top priority. The team will kick off the 2026 MLS seasonwith an away game against Los Angeles FC on February 21. Given the tight schedule before the season opener, postponing the friendly is considered necessary to ensure Messi is in optimal shape for the new season.