Inter Miami fans, and Lionel Messi fans in Jamaica, got great news on Wednesday.

The Argentine icon and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who missed the past three games with muscle fatigue, will travel to the Caribbean island for Thursday’s Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 game against Cavalier FC, according to coach Javier Mascherano.

Inter Miami carries a 2-0 cushion into the two-leg series against Cavalier after the home leg last Thursday. The winner on aggregate score advances to the quarterfinals against Los Angeles FC.

Thursday’s matchup is such a big deal in Jamaica that the game was moved from Cavalier’s 3,000-seat home stadium to the 30,000 seat National Stadium. It is the most high-profile match for the club, by far, since it hosted Brazilian legend Pelé and Santos in a 1971 match watched by a sellout crowd in that same building.

Cavalier coach Rudolph Speid before the first leg: “I think it will inspire a generation of players in Jamaica. Everybody will be watching [the game in Fort Lauderdale] on TV; and in the return leg, where we expect a packed stadium, and everybody talking about the game. That inspiration is much more for the country than just our team.”

The Cavalier roster includes several teenagers from the youth national team and other young players trying to get noticed. They did not look intimidated as they kept Miami to a scoreless tie at halftime of last Thursday’s game in Fort Lauderdale.

Cavalier defender Jeovanni Laing, 23, said of playing against Messi and the other Miami stars: “It’s a dream come true for us as players, Jamaica as a country and for the whole Caribbean. We’ve been dreaming about this since last year, and how it’s here. We were elated when Inter Miami advanced. We were happy and joyful, but we still have to stay business minded. ... We can’t get starstruck.

“This is an opportunity to show our talents on the bigger stage, because millions will be watching.”

Messi was on the game roster for Miami’s home league game against Charlotte FC on Sunday but remained on the bench. The plan was for him to play some minutes, but a red card to goalkeeper Oscar Ustari left the team down a man from the 38-minute mark, and the coaching staff felt that was not the ideal situation for Messi to return to action.

“Yes, yes, Leo is on the roster, will travel, and [Thursday] we will decide if it is better for him to start or wait and come in later. That we will see. He trained fully [Wednesday], felt very good, so we are happy that he will travel with us to Jamaica.”

The game carries extra meaning for Inter Miami defender Ian Fray, a U.S.-Jamaica dual citizen whose sister, Marlee, played for the Jamaican national team. Fray said he expects 20 to 25 family members and friends in the stands.

“It means a lot to go back to Jamaica,” said Fray, 22, who grew up in Coconut Creek. “I’ve actually been to that stadium before. I went to see Usain Bolt’s last race in Jamaica at that stadium, so it will be pretty cool to go back and play on that field.”

Asked about the field conditions, Mascherano said he did not know yet. A few club staff members traveled to Kingston on Tuesday and were examining the field. “Both teams will be on the same field, so we just have to go and do our jobs,” the coach said. “We don’t like excuses.”

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Drake Callender, who has yet to play this season due to a nagging adductor injury, will not travel to Jamaica. The plan, Mascherano said, is for him to be available for the league road game Sunday against Atlanta United, the Eastern Conference rival who knocked Miami out of the 2024 playoffs in the first round.

Callender returned to practice Wednesday after missing a few training sessions last week. Mascherano said Callender was cleared to play by the medical staff three weeks ago but he is still not feeling 100 percent.

Callender’s availability will be especially crucial against Atlanta, a game being featured on Apple TV’s “Sunday Night Soccer,” as Ustari will be out serving his red card suspension.

“Drake will not travel to Jamaica; we felt it was best for him to stay back and train at home,” Mascherano said. “If nothing strange happens, he will be rostered for the game Sunday. Drake still does not feel 100 percent but he is very important player for this club, and has been for the past few years, and considering the situation we are in Sunday, he said he would do what he could to help the team even though he is feeling 100 percent. We appreciate that attitude.”

As far as other injuries, Robert Taylor (hamstring) trained on his own Thursday, so he is not yet ready to return. Maxi Falcon (thigh bruise) is back, ready to play, and will travel.

How to Watch Inter Miami vs. Cavalier

Inter Miami vs. Cavalier match kicks off Thursday at 8 p.m. in Kingston, Jamaica. The game can be seen on FS2 in English and TUDN in Spanish.

Inter Miami signs Baltasar Rodriguez

Argentine midfielder Baltasar Rodríguez signed with Inter Miami on loan from Argentine top-flight Racing Club through the 2025 season, with an option to make the transfer permanent at the conclusion of the loan.

He will join the team pending receipt of his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate (ITC).

Rodríguez, 21, won the 2024 CONMEBOL Copa Sudamericana and CONMEBOL Recopa Sudamericana 2025 titles, and played in the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores. He also played under Mascherano on Argentina’s U-23 national team.

“I had him on the [Argentine] U23 team in the pre-Olympic tournament,” Mascherano said. “He’s an offensive-minded midfielder who is versatile, good technique, good one on one, and is a good finisher.”

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