The Union could host Lionel Messi and Inter Miami next week at Subaru Park

If Inter Miami and the Union win their next Leagues Cup matches, Messi and Co. will play at Subaru Park on Aug. 15.

Published Aug. 9, 2023, 5:00 a.m. ET

When Lionel Messi agreed to move to Major League Soccer and sign with Inter Miami in July, the impulse of most soccer fans was to check the distance they’d have to travel to see the Argentine superstar in person.

For Philadelphians and Union fans, that answer was about 90 miles to Harrison, N.J. The Union were not scheduled to play Inter Miami again this season, so the Herons’ Aug. 26 league clash against the New York Red Bulls would be the next best thing.

Fast-forward a few weeks and those fans might not have to travel as far or wait as long — assuming they are willing to pay big bucks — to see who many consider the greatest soccer player who ever lived. Why? The Union and Inter Miami are one win apiece away from setting up an unlikely Messi visit to Subaru Park.

Average ticket price to see Messi and Inter Miami 😳📈 pic.twitter.com/Oatfsbu4f8
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) August 8, 2023

The 47-team Leagues Cup tournament contested between MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX has reached its quarterfinal stage, and the Union and Messi’s Inter Miami are still standing. But Messi mania in Philadelphia this summer is not assured just yet.

What needs to happen for the Union to play Messi?

The Union and Inter Miami need to win their next games. The Union will host Mexican side Querétaro on Friday (8 p.m., Apple TV), while Messi and Inter Miami will welcome Charlotte FC to South Florida the same night.

Both teams will be big favorites in their respective games, as Inter Miami, despite its last-place position in MLS, is a perfect 4-0 in the Leagues Cup, which coincided with Messi’s debut on July 21. In addition to Messi, Inter Miami has added two of his former Barcelona teammates in Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, both of whom were decorated Spanish internationals.

Meanwhile, the Union will have home-field advantage and also should have a fitness edge over Mexico’s Querétaro. While the Union are two-thirds of the way through their season, Querétaro have played just two games in the Liga MX Apertura season. The Union also battered Querétaro, 5-1, just two weeks ago in the group stage of the Leagues Cup behind a hat trick from Dániel Gazdag.

When would the Union play Inter Miami?

If both teams win, the Union’s semifinal with Inter Miami would take place on Tuesday at Subaru Park (time TBD). The winner will advance to the Leagues Cup Final which will be held at the highest remaining seed’s home field on Aug. 19.

How did the Union and Inter Miami reach this point?

The Union cruised through group play with a pair of wins over Liga MX opposition. They defeated a nine-man Tijuana, 3-1, in their opener before the aforementioned thrashing of Querétaro. Things were much tighter in the round of 32, as the Union outlasted D.C. United, 5-4, on penalties after an 0-0 draw. Next came a date with the rival Red Bulls, with the Union winning again on penalty kicks following a 1-1 score after 90 minutes.

Inter Miami’s somewhat improbable run to the semis of the Leagues Cup has included its fair share of Messi heroics. In his club debut, Messi came off the bench to fire an inch-perfect free kick into the roof of the net for a 94th-minute winner against Cruz Azul in a 2-1 victory. He topped that four days later with two goals and an assist in a 4-0 demolition of Atlanta United before bagging two more in the round of 32 in a 3-1 win over Orlando City.

But the Messi magic looked to have run out in the round of 16, as FC Dallas led Inter Miami, 4-2, with just 10 minutes to play. That’s when the 36-year-old clicked into gear with two free kicks. The first produced a catastrophic own goal from FC Dallas’ Marco Farfan; the second was almost a mirror image of his debut strike, a masterful curling free kick into the top corner. Inter Miami went on to win, 5-3, on penalties with Messi of all people slotting home the first of five successful kicks for the Herons.

How has Messi fared since arriving in MLS?

To channel Larry David ... pretttttttty, pretttttttttty, pretttttty good! Messi has scored seven goals and added an assist in just four games since arriving in North America.

He has scored in every game and has a pair of goals in each of his three starts. He, alongside his former European teammates, also has galvanized last-place Inter Miami, which has won just 5 of 22 league games this season. So far, Messi has smashed the massive expectations that accompanied his arrival in MLS.