MIAMI — Lionel Messi has a half-dozen new Inter Miami teammates this season, and they will play their first game that counts Wednesday night on the road against Sporting KC in the Concacaf Champions Cup opener, which was postponed from Tuesday due to a snowstorm.

Those newcomers, who will be bundled up in ski caps and gloves for the sub-zero temperature expected at game time (8 p.m., FS2, TUDN), were brought in by first-year coach Javier Mascherano and his staff to shore up the defense and replace key players who departed, such as Diego Gomez, Leo Campana and Matias Rojas.

Three come from Argentina. One from Venezuela. One from Uruguay. And one from across town in Cutler Bay. Here is a quick intro ...

MAXI FALCON

— Position: Defender

— Hometown: Paysandu, Uruguay

— Age: 27

— Previous Club: Colo-Colo (Chile)

— Nickname: “Peluca” (wig) for his curly mop-top of hair, reminiscent of Miami Fusion’s Colombian star Carlos “El Pibe” Valderrama. “Up until 12 years old, I had very short hair because my mother told me I could get lice if I grew it long, but around 13 or 14 I let it grow, and I liked it. It became my trademark, a distinguishing feature.”

— Family: He has two brothers and was raised by his mother, who was a housekeeper and hospital aide. He is married to Florencia Pouso. They have a son, Domingo, who turns four in March, and four dogs — two chihuahuas (Lola, Marta) and two Australian Shepherds (Alma, Antonia).

— Hobby: Computer games

— Meeting Messi, Luis Suarez: “It was impactful because those are the most elite players, players you see on T.V., 'monster' players, as we call them. It was unthinkable that someone like me who started at such a small club Rentistas would end up a teammate of Leo, Luis, Jordi [Alba] and Sergio [Busquets].”

GONZALO LUJAN

— Position: Defender

— Hometown: Buenos Aires, Argentina

— Age: 23

— Previous Club: San Lorenzo (Argentina)

— Family: Father is an accountant. Mother stayed at home and took care of him and his older sister, who also played soccer.

— Soccer beginnings: Started at San Lorenzo youth team at 9 years old, joined first team at age 21. “San Lorenzo was like a second home for me. I was there my entire life, and I still follow all their games.”

— Other sports he enjoys: Basketball, tennis. “I went to a Miami Heat game against Boston [on Feb. 10]. It was a dream to see a game in person. It was a great show, very impressive. I am sure I will go back with my girlfriend.”

— His shirt No. 2: “I wore 35 at San Lorenzo and loved that number, but I wanted to make a fresh start here and leave my San Lorenzo memories behind, so I just picked a new number.”

— Meeting Messi: “First time I met him was a friendly when I was with Argentina’s U23 team, and I asked him for a photo. We didn’t talk. First day I arrived here, I met him and he made me feel welcome. I was nervous, but he was chatting in the locker room, so it was a natural time to approach him. ... I haven’t had [yerba] mate with him yet.”

TELASCO SEGOVIA

— Position: Midfielder

— Hometown: Barquisimeto, Venezuela

— Age: 21

— Previous Club: Casa Pia (Portugal)

— Family: One sister. Father played soccer. Parents have a family business doing auto detail.

— Soccer beginnings: “I had a ball at my foot by age 3. At 12 I told my Mom I was going to be professional soccer player and not live in Venezuela. She reminds me of that now.”

— Hobbies: Playing padel and video games.

— Style of play: “I am a very technical player who likes to play short passes, connect through the middle, and will sacrifice on the defensive end, fighting for all the balls.”

— Meeting Messi: “To have him as a teammate is crazy because he’s been my idol since childhood. I was nervous to meet him. All the four stars have won everything and still want to win more, which is inspiring.”

— Life in South Florida: “I feel at home with so many Venezuelans here. They have contacted me to welcome me and said they will go watch me play. I already found many good Venezuelan restaurants.”

TADEO ALLENDE

— Position: Winger

— Hometown: Mina Clavero, Argentina

— Age: 25

— Previous club: Celta Vigo (Spain), signed four-and-a-half-year contract in January 2024. He is on loan with Miami.

— Family: Blended family of seven siblings. Four brothers, three sisters (the eldest sister died a few years ago). Mother is a carpenter, father works construction.

— His soccer beginnings: His father took him to a boxing match when he was very young, but he was more interested in playing soccer outside than watching boxing. He joined the youth team of CA Juventud Unida before joining Instituto’s youth teams in 2017.

— If he weren’t a soccer player, he would be: “That’s a great question. I never thought of anything other than being a soccer player.”

— Meeting Messi: “I was very nervous because it was the first time I saw him in person, first time I had any contact with him and he was always my idol. It was a very nice welcome.”

— Hobbies: Music. All kinds.

FAFA PICAULT

— Position: Winger/Forward

— Hometown: Born, NYC, raised Cutler Bay (Miami suburb)

— Age: 33

— Previous Club: Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS)

— Family: Maternal grandfather, Max Antoine, played for the Haitian national team. Father, Leslie, played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League. Both parents, Leslie and Lucerne, are teachers.

— Soccer beginnings: Youth clubs West Kendall, Coral Springs, Weston, Strike Force. Attended Killian High. “My family was very academically oriented, both parents are teachers, and I was always a good student, in the gifted program at Coral Reef Elementary and Southwood Middle, took honors classes in high school, even got some recruiting letters from Ivy League schools, but there came a point where I had to decide between soccer and school.”

— Languages: English, Creole, French, Spanish, Italian

ROCCO RIOS NOVO

— Position: Goalkeeper

— Hometown: Born Los Angeles, raised in Argentina

— Age: 22

— Former club: Phoenix Rising of USL (on loan from Argentine club Lanus)

— Family: Father is Mexican, mother is Argentinean. Lived in L.A. until age 3 and moved to Argentina with his mother. One 10-year-old brother. Has is married.

— On being a keeper: “From the time I started at age 5 I told my mother I wanted to be a goalkeeper. For my next birthday she bought me gloves. It’s a position that can be unjust, because you get blamed for goals. But I love that pressure and adrenaline, the responsibility of being the last player an attacker has to pass to score.”

— If he weren’t a soccer player, he would be: “When I was young, I wanted to be a vet. I love animals. I have a dog, a shar pei named Ragnar.”

©2025 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.