Messi Watch: Casemiro arrives as Miami's Chicago test goes live

Inter Miami have signed Brazil midfielder Casemiro as a free agent, adding a five-time Champions League winner to the squad that includes Lionel Messi. The deal runs through the end of the 2027 MLS Sprint Season, with an option that could extend it through June 2029. The move is pending receipt of Casemiro's P-1 visa. 1

The timing matters more than any debut speculation. Messi is still in his scheduled post-World Cup rest period, and Casemiro's paperwork is not complete, so neither player is part of the immediate answer for Miami's current match. Casemiro's first appearance should wait for official confirmation.

Inter Miami's official preview listed Messi and Rodrigo De Paul as unavailable after Argentina's World Cup final, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, or 07:30 Thursday in Asia/Shanghai. 2

At the latest live update, Chicago Fire lead 1-0 in the 26th minute. ESPN lists an own goal by Inter Miami goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo in the 18th minute. This is a live score, not a final result. 3

Miami's immediate problem is how to manage a competitive MLS match without Messi and De Paul. The longer-term club story is different: Casemiro gives the squad a new defensive midfield option, but his arrival will only become a matchday factor once the visa process is cleared. For Messi followers, the next clean signal is his return to training, not a rushed prediction about his next appearance.

The match remains live, so the final score will be a separate update.