Puerto Rico vs. Argentina: International friendly may see Lionel Messi rewrite history by smashing all-time FIFA record if Inter Miami star plays

When Lionel Messi sat smiling in the stands at the Hard Rock Stadium during Argentina’s 1-0 win over Venezuela, most assumed it was a simple case of rest. But behind that calm demeanor, there’s something much bigger on the horizon — a chance for the Argentine captain to write his name once again into the pages of soccer history.

Coach Lionel Scaloni raised eyebrows when he decided to leave Messi out of the Venezuela match, a move that sparked speculation among both fans and media. The 38-year-old star watched from the stands with his family, sipping mate, while Argentina labored to a narrow victory courtesy of Giovani Lo Celso’s first-half goal.

After the match, Scaloni clarified his reasoning. “I decided Messi wouldn’t play today,” he told reporters. “We wanted to test Lautaro [Martínez] and Julián [Alvarez], but we had Flaco [Lopez] on the bench. It was purely tactical.”

Rumors had suggested that Inter Miami — Messi’s club — preferred that their star rest ahead of an important MLS clash against Atlanta United. Scaloni, however, insisted that his focus remained on managing workloads and providing opportunities for emerging talent. “We’ll see how things unfold; we hope he can play,” he added, referring to the upcoming friendly against Puerto Rico.

Change of plans — and location

Initially, Argentina’s match against Puerto Rico was supposed to take place at Soldier Field in Chicago. But amid security concerns and social unrest in Illinois, organizers decided to move the match to Fort Lauderdale, scheduling it at Chase Stadium — the home of Inter Miami. The change also pushed the date back by a day, from Monday to Tuesday, October 14, offering the team and its captain valuable rest.

That shift could prove crucial. Messi, who has been nursing minor fatigue after a packed MLS schedule, now has additional recovery time. It also means he could feasibly appear for both club and country within the same weekend, given that all games are taking place in Miami.

According to TyC Sports, this unusual situation “gives Scaloni the freedom to manage Messi’s minutes flexibly while ensuring he remains close to both commitments.”

The record within reach

While much of the talk has centered on tactics and rotation, there’s another storyline building quietly beneath the surface — one that could see Lionel Messi break an all-time FIFA record if he steps onto the pitch against Puerto Rico.

Last November, during Argentina’s 1-0 win over Peru, Messi delivered the assist for Lautaro Martínez’s stunning volley — his 58th assist in international soccer. That moment brought him level with Landon Donovan, the legendary American midfielder, at the very top of the all-time list.

With 58 assists each, Lionel Messi and Landon Donovan are in a tie for first place in men’s international soccer history. Neymar follows just behind with 57, while Cristiano Ronaldo sits further down with 48.

If Messi records even one more assist against Puerto Rico, he would become the sole leader in FIFA’s all-time international assist rankings — surpassing Donovan and setting a new benchmark for creativity on the global stage.