Lionel Messi made his first appearance for Inter Miami since his international retirement, providing an assist in their 2-2 Major League Soccer draw against Atlanta United. The match in Florida was delayed by over 90 minutes due to severe weather. Messi, who captained Argentina to the 2022 World Cup victory and a second-place finish in the 2026 edition, delivered a corner kick that Casemiro headed in for Miami's opener. However, Casemiro's subsequent slip allowed Miguel Almirón to equalize for Atlanta. Luis Suárez restored Miami's lead before halftime, but Bryan Emboula converted an 87th-minute penalty to secure a point for Atlanta. Messi currently leads the MLS scoring charts with 18 goals, having also scored four and assisted one in a recent 7-1 win over Montreal. He had previously expressed doubts about his career following his father Jorge's passing on August 8.