The anticipation is high as Inter Miami prepares to host Nashville SC in Game 1 of their first-round MLS Cup Playoffs series. All eyes are on Lionel Messi, whose presence transforms every match he plays into a marquee event. With playoff soccer underway, doubts and speculations about his availability are swirling across social media.

Messi has been instrumental this season, finishing as MLS’s top scorer for the first time with 29 goals in just 28 regular-season matches, and helping Miami secure home-field advantage in the postseason.

His recent contract extension until 2028 also gave the club and its supporters a fresh burst of optimism. Ahead of kickoff, the question on every fan’s lips is whether Messi will start. Given the magnitude of this matchup, his status could shift momentum dec

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