Inter Miami Makes Unexpected Lionel Messi Decision

While the first team travels to the City of Brotherly Love, Inter Miami will simultaneously be hosting a youth tournament called the Dream Cup in South Florida. 

Suarez's son, Benjamin, and Messi's three sons, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro, all play in the IMCF youth academy. Thiago Messi and Benjamin Suarez played together on an Inter Miami under-13 team that won a medal in a different tournament in 2024.

According to Miami Herald reporter Michelle Kaufman, Messi and Suarez were given permission to miss an away MLS match against Vancouver Whitecaps last season to stay and watch their sons compete in the Dream Cup. 

Despite sharing a closer personal relationship with the star duo than their former coach, Mascherano changed the edict from the Tata Martino era.

"(Mascherano) said that he knows about last year, but this year the team is in a tough spot right now where they really need everybody there," Kaufman said in a video report from training on Friday. "Both Leo and Luis are expected to travel and be with the team and play.”

The move comes as a surprise given the inconsistency in player personal policy from earlier this month. Suarez was excused from two away matches against Minnesota and San Jose Earthquakes to attend his brother-in-law's wedding.

Improved defending will be key to getting a result against Philadelphia, but Mascherano will hope that at the other end of the pitch, Messi and Suarez can add to their combined 2025 tally of seven goals and eight assists to help get the Herons back in the win column.

Inter Miami enters the match sixth in the Eastern Conference on 22 points, while Philadelphia Union sits atop the conference standings with 29 points.