Fans lined up outside of Independence Park more than two hours before Inter Miami's Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16 clash with Cavalier SC hoping to catch a glimpse of Lionel Messi during a 2-0 victory (4-0 on aggregate) for Miami to move on to the quarterfinals where they'll face Los Angeles FC.

Lionel Messi garners more attention than any other player in Major League Soccer, and the 37-year-old's fitness is a consistent talking point.

Question marks surround Lionel Messi's fitness ahead of Inter Miami's clash with Charlotte. Inter Miami come into their third match of the 2025 Major League Soccer season after comfortably defeating Cavalier 2–0 in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16.

Inter Miami will face Cavalier for the second leg of the Round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Ahead of the trip to Jamaica, head coach Javier Mascherano announced an important update regarding Lionel Messi.

Lionel Messi remains a doubt for the second leg of Inter Miami's Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16 match against Cavalier.

Lionel Messi could yet return to action against Jamaican side Cavalier on Thursday, with the Argentine set to travel with his Inter Miami teammates to Kingston for the CONCACAF Champions Cup tie

The question has typically been framed around Messi's own desire. But increasingly, the durability of his 37-year-old body and the demands his national team continues to place on him are complicating the question.

Inter Miami have been extremely protective of their legendary superstar ever since Lionel Messi joined the club in the summer of 2023, even as questions are raised about his fitness after multiple matches missed.