Lionel Messi was back on Saturday as Inter Miami faced DC United at Nu Stadium, his first outing since leaving the Argentina squad. Can you picture the captain charging forward and climbing another club leaderboard?
That outing marked his 118th appearance for Miami, dead‑heat with goalkeeper Drake Callender for the club’s second‑most caps.
Only Noah Allen stays ahead, a home‑grown defender now with the Chicago Fire, who set the record at 132 appearances after eclipsing Callender in April. Messi and Callender, now at Minnesota United, sit on 118 each, while Sergio Busquets and Robert Taylor trail with 116.
Luis Suárez holds sixth place with 113 appearances, followed by Benjamin Cremaschi (107), Jordi Alba (103), Yannick Bright (101) and Leonardo Campana (100) rounding out the top‑10. With Allen’s tally frozen, Messi needs 14 more to match and 15 to own the record.
Will Messi finally eclipse Allen’s record in 2026, or will the milestone wait until the 2027 season?
The short answer is no. Messi sits at 118 appearances after the DC United match, and with six regular‑season matches left on the MLS schedule, he would reach 124 if he plays them all.
Inter Miami say they’re planning a long‑term future with Lionel Messi once he hangs up his Argentina jersey.
The playoffs could add more matches, but not enough. Miami, third in the Eastern Conference, would start in a best‑of‑three Wild Card from Nov 20‑Dec 2, possibly adding three games. For my money, the club’s postseason hopes hinge on Messi staying fit.
A run to the final would give Messi a maximum of six playoff games, capping his total at 130 appearances. Even a Wild Card path lifts the ceiling to 131, still two shy of Allen’s mark and three short of overtaking him. The record will likely fall in early 2027.