Lionel Messi has a new teammate at Inter Miami as the club has signed young Argentine talent Baltasar Rodriguez to bolster their MLS Cup title race.

Lionel Messi remains the brightest star at Chase Stadium, as he captains the team and plays a key role in Inter Miami’s squad. However, at 37, he cannot play every game due to the tight schedule. The Argentine legend has missed the team’s last three matches to ensure his fitness.

In order to maintain creativity in the squad to compete in many arenas, Inter Miami decided to recruit a playmaker wearing the number 10 shirt. The chosen name is Baltasar Rodriguez, a 21-year-old player on loan from Racing Club – one of the top teams in Argentina, with a term until the end of the 2025 season. This contract comes with a buyout clause at the end of the year.

Rodriguez worked under coach Javier Mascherano when he represented Argentina U23 in the 2024 Olympic qualifiers. He has had notable achievements in his home country, including winning the Copa Sudamericana and Recopa Sudamericana. In addition, the midfielder has also appeared in the prestigious Copa Libertadores.

Inter Miami confirmed the deal on their website: “Rodriguez joins Inter Miami from Racing Club de Avellaneda, where he came through the youth academy and made his first-team debut in 2023. Since then, the midfielder has established himself as a key player for Racing, making 69 appearances in all competitions, scoring seven goals and providing four assists.”

Notably, Rodriguez contributed greatly to Racing winning the Copa Sudamericana 2024, when he played 8 matches, scored 1 goal and had 2 assists. He also won the Recopa Sudamericana 2025 title with the team. During his time with Racing, Rodriguez played 9 times alongside his new teammate at Inter Miami, Tomas Aviles.

The young midfielder also has international experience, having represented Argentina at the U23 level. He was part of the squad for the 2024 South American Olympic qualifiers under coach Mascherano, playing five matches and scoring one goal, helping Argentina secure a ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics. Notably, Rodriguez played alongside three other Inter Miami newcomers, Gonzalo Lujan, Federico Redondo and Rocco Rios Novo, in the tournament.

Inter Miami are off to an impressive start to the 2025 season, remaining unbeaten in their first six games. They have won five, drawing just once with New York City FC, and have performed well in both MLS and the CONCACAF Champions Cup.