FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez were honorary captains and watched their sons begin Inter Miami’s Youth International Cup in the same stadium they now call home on Friday night.
Messi, the soft-spoken Argentine World Cup champion, applauded a packed crowd of parents for the sacrifices they make for their kids, and wished the children to cherish the experience for a lifetime — the weekend tournament, not just him public speaking.
Messi, Suárez and their fellow former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets should have been on the other side of the continent, cooped in a Vancouver hotel room, preparing to play in Saturday night’s match between Inter Miami and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. But they didn’t travel and won’t play.
“We understand the players who will not be here players who have revolutionized — especially Leo — the MLS. But we also have an obligation to take care of the health of the team, right?” Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said Friday when addressing the trio’s absence for the highly anticipated match in Vancouver.
More than 50,000 paying fans in Vancouver might be upset reading this, but Messi’s absence is for the greater good of the sport, especially in the United States.
Messi is transcendent with worldwide appeal, and his health is paramount. Three games in a week, including one on a turf field with 12-14 hours of travel, when he’s been managing a recent left leg injury, isn’t ideal when the weight of his country, and…
