On Monday, Herons Sporting Director Chris Henderson gave a year-end speech outlining the club’s goals for 2024. During the occasion, he discussed how they are seeking to improve in a variety of areas both on and off the field, as well as plan ahead for a strong 2024 preseason. The SD of the Herons also gave a little peek of what’s to come, revealing that Messi and co. may take on his childhood club as part of that fruitful 2024 plan.

The Herons are already ahead of other MLS teams in terms of developing an international image. They had a series of matches set in early November as part of their Asia tour, but they were unexpectedly canceled at the last minute. Now, Inter Miami and company are seeking to push even further, taking on one of Argentina’s most famous teams while also allowing their star attacker to play against his previous club in a moment he will never forget.

Messi played for the Rosario-based club for five years, from 1995 to 2000, before joining Barcelona the following year. I doubt many people realized at the time that the greatest soccer player of all time would land in Spain and play for the Catalan club for the next 21 years.

The renowned forward is currently on international duty with Argentina, who are coming off their first loss of the calendar year against Uruguay. Meanwhile, Inter Miami is in offseason mode, prepping for the upcoming season while also enjoying the quiet of the winter months in the United States.