The Argentine world star is initially spared after his injury, but then strikes as a joker.
Lionel Messi reported back to his team Inter Miami as a successful Joker after his short break. Two minutes after his substitution, the Argentine football world champion scored in the Major League Soccer game against Philadelphia Union.
Miami won the game 2-1 (1-0) and leads the Eastern Conference of the MLS with four wins from five games.
“We didn’t want to risk letting him play from the start, but we wanted to give him a few minutes of play,” said coach Javier Mascherano.
Messi had missed the World Cup qualification games of Argentina because of an adductor strain. The 37-year-old came from the bank against Philadelphia in the 55th minute and met at the presentation of the Uruguayer Luis Suárez, with whom Messi had already played in Barcelona.