Lionel Messi won’t surpass Inter Miami appearance leader Noah Allen until 2027 despite his Chicago Fire departure
Despite Noah Allen completed his move to Chicago Fire, Lionel Messi won't be able to surpass him as the player with the most games at Inter Miami in the 2026 season. Lionel Messi has seen a clear path emerge to become the all-time appearance leader in Inter Miami history following Noah Allen‘s departure to the Chicago Fire. However, the Argentine legend will be unable to claim the record during the 2026 campaign, leaving him waiting until at least next season to take top spot. On Thursday, September 3, Inter Miami announced that defender Noah Allen completed a transfer to the Chicago Fire. The transaction was structured as a loan deal through the remainder of 2026, featuring a mandatory purchase option that will automatically trigger at the conclusion of the season to make the transfer permanent. As reported by Michelle Kaufman of the Miami Herald, the mandatory buy clause is set at approximately $3 million, meaning that entire sum will be reimbursed as allowable General Allocation Money (GAM) for Inter Miami‘s roster construction starting in the 2027 season. Speaking to Inter Miami’s official media channels, the homegrown defender reflected on his tenure with the club and his experience sharing the pitch with Messi. “I’m thankful to have been a part of Inter Miami and its history, and to have seen the Club grow into what it is today. I’m certainly grateful to play with the best player in the world, and players alongside him with a great history,” he stated. 🎙️ Noah Allen: “I’m thankful to have been a part of Inter Miami and its history" 🩷 pic.twitter.com/y0vLkfF0Ox— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) September 3, 2026 After making his first-team debut in 2022, Allen featured prominently across the rosters that captured all of Inter Miami’s major hardware, including the 2023 Leagues Cup, the 2024 Supporters’ Shield, and the 2025 MLS Cup. Over his time in South Florida, Allen tallied three goals and seven assists across 133 appearances in all competitions, establishing the franchise record for most games played in an Inter Miami shirt. Messi won’t catch up to Allen until 2027 Lionel Messi has firmly established himself as the most influential figure in Inter Miami history, holding the club’s all-time records for both goals (98) and assists (54). However, the forward has yet to break into the top three on the club’s all-time appearances leaderboard. Currently, Messi sits in fifth place with 111 appearances for the Herons, trailing Robert Taylor and Sergio Busquets (116 matches each), Drake Callender (118 matches), and Allen, who broke the all-time record back in April with 133 appearances. Even with none of those top four players remaining active on Inter Miami’s roster, the Argentine icon cannot reach the summit in 2026. Including the upcoming Campeones Cup clash against Cruz Azul and the remaining slate of the 2026 MLS regular season, Inter Miami have 13 matches scheduled. Should the Herons advance all the way to the MLS Cup Final (including a three-game round in the first round of the playoffs) they would add a maximum of six additional fixtures. Even if Messi features in every single minute of all 19 potential remaining matches, he would reach 130 appearances, leaving him three shy of Allen’s 133-match benchmark and pushing his record chase into the 2027 season.
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