Mia Hamm, a two-time FIFA champion, reflects on the impact Lionel Messi has made in the United States. She is not surprised by the way he has taken the country by storm. Messi, who recently won the 2022 World Cup and his seventh Ballon d’Or, did not play in Argentina’s match against Bolivia. Despite not being named in the starting lineup, Messi traveled with the team and was present at the 2026 World Cup qualifying match. Since joining David Beckham’s MLS team, Inter Miami, Messi has been playing non-stop and appeared in 12 matches within a 48-day period. His participation in upcoming Inter Miami games may also be affected. Despite Messi’s absence, Argentina had no trouble defeating Bolivia, winning 3-0. Enzo Fernández, Nicolás Tagliafico, and Nicolás González scored the goals for Argentina. The match between Argentina and Bolivia was available for viewing on Telemundo, UNIVERSO, and TUDN USA. Messi is expected to return to Inter Miami in time for their next match against Atlanta United, but his participation may be limited due to fatigue. Inter Miami has a tight schedule with four more games in a 10-day span, and Messi may have to come off the bench or leave matches early. While Messi missed Inter Miami’s recent victory against Sporting Kansas City, he has been instrumental in leading the team to a record of 10-1-0 with 11 goals scored. During the Argentina qualifying match, Messi asked to be substituted due to fatigue. Despite this, he had a standout performance in his first game with Argentina since the 2022 World Cup, scoring a free kick to secure a 1-0 win against Ecuador. Argentina is expected to qualify for the World Cup once again and will have the opportunity to compete in the expanded 2026 tournament. Messi’s performance in the 2022 World Cup final, where he scored two goals and a penalty kick, earned him the Golden Ball award for the tournament’s best player. It is unclear whether Messi will continue playing for Argentina in the 2024 Copa America and the 2026 World Cup or if he will retire from international competition before then, but Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has stated that the door will always be open for him.