Mascherano had said after the Concacaf Champions Cup game against Sporting KC that the late-game substitutions of Messi, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets were intentional and served to give those players some rest during what will be an extremely long season with a jam-packed schedule.

"The truth is that I always had it in my mind to play in MLS," said Messi, the sport's most decorated player of all time. "I felt called to come to Inter because it's a club that's growing, that's very new, with few years as a club, and I like the idea of coming and helping the club to become a greater club.