Lionel Messi handed major squad boost at Inter Miami before MLS opener against Son’s LAFC
Lionel Messi will be in the spotlight this weekend as Inter Miami travel to the West Coast to face LAFC in their opening match of the 2026 Major League Soccer season as they begin their title defense. Ahead of the clash with Son Heung-min, another global face of the league, the Argentine star has received a major squad boost.
After a preseason that fell well short of expectations, including the postponement of their final friendly against Independiente del Valle due to Messi’s injury, Inter Miami entered the final stretch of preparation with uncertainty surrounding the roster. Messi provided relief by returning to training on Wednesday, and now even more good news has arrived in Fort Lauderdale.
As reported by journalist Jose Armando, Germán Berterame has finally received his work visa and will be available for the MLS opener against LAFC. The Mexico international had been dealing with bureaucratic issues in recent days, preventing him from training with the Herons, but once clearance was granted he immediately rejoined the squad.
Inter Miami paid Monterrey $15 million to sign Berterame in one of the most expensive transfers in MLS history. The striker featured during preseason, debuting against Atlético Nacional in Colombia and even scoring his first goal in pink against Barcelona SC in Ecuador.
However, once the team returned to Fort Lauderdale, Berterame was sidelined awaiting permit approval, a situation that would forced him to miss the friendly against Independiente del Valle in Puerto Rico (now rescheduled for Feb. 26). This latest development makes the striker available to train alongside his teammates to prepare for the MLS opener.
All bureaucracy obstacles cleared at Inter Miami
During the 2026 preseason, Inter Miami had to deal with multiple administrative hurdles affecting several players, not only new arrivals but also returning members of the squad. In addition to Berterame, Micael also spent time away from team training while waiting for work authorization.
Head coach Javier Mascherano acknowledged the complications in comments to the club’s official media channels: “We’re still making a few adjustments because with visa matters and certain administrative issues, it can sometimes be a bit more complicated in this league to have everyone available at the same time. But we’re hopeful that we’ll be fully ready for the Saturday match.“
Other players who were navigating paperwork were midfielder Telasco Segovia and defender Maximiliano Falcón, both of whom were completing their green card processes. All have now finalized their documentation and are cleared to train and be available for the season opener.
Every Inter Miami player, including Mess, took part in Wednesday’s training session except Sergio Reguilón, who has been sidelined with an injury since the preseason opener against Alianza Lima in late January. Aside from the Spanish defender, the Herons will have a full squad available for the showdown with LAFC.