Inter Miami head coach Guillermo Hoyos has insisted that Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul will be granted an indefinite period of leave following their World Cup final heartbreak.
Guillermo Hoyos confirmed on Tuesday that Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul, both World Cup finalists with Argentina, will be given as much time as they deem necessary to recover before reporting back to Inter Miami, with the manager refusing to be drawn on a specific return date.
“The World Cup concluded only a matter of hours ago. Their priority now is to rest and spend time with their loved ones back home,” the Argentine coach told reporters ahead of training. “They will be absent for however long it takes,” the boss maintained.
Messi and De Paul were the only two MLS players to feature in last Sunday’s final, where Spain secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Argentina. Neither player was on the flight that carried the bulk of the Albiceleste contingent back to the country.
The iconic ’10’ travelled to his native Rosario via private jet on Tuesday, two days after suffering heartbreak in the global showpiece. Local reports suggest he will remain there with family for an extended break before joining up with Inter Miami for training.
The Florida side face Chicago Fire on Wednesday in their first league fixture since the World Cup hiatus, with MLS having been paused between 25th May and 16th July.
While FIFPRO, the global players’ union, stipulates that footballers should receive 21 days of rest between campaigns, it remains to be seen whether this mandate applies to a tournament already in progress or if the players will choose to exercise that right.
Following the midweek clash, Inter Miami travel to face Montreal on 25 July. Furthermore, Messi has been selected for the MLS All-Star match against Liga MX, scheduled for 29 July in Charlotte.
Reflecting on the final, the Rosario-born star admitted on Instagram on Monday that the pain of defeat against Spain “hurts deeply and this wound will take time to heal”.
