Lionel Messi’s former teammate Baltasar Rodriguez sheds light on future after Inter Miami loan expired
Baltasar Rodriguez quickly emerged as one of Lionel Messi’s key teammates during Inter Miami’s 2025 MLS Cup run, playing a fundamental role in midfield late in the season. Now back in Argentina, the 22-year-old has offered clarity on his future after his loan spell with Inter Miami came to an end.
Argentine club Racing Club loaned Rodriguez to Inter Miami in March through the end of the 2025 season, but injuries sidelined the midfielder during his first months in MLS. As the season progressed, including the MLS playoffs, Rodriguez became a regular starter in Messi’s lineup, and with his loan expiring, questions naturally surfaced about his next move.
In an interview with Diario Olé, Rodriguez explained how Racing Club informed him of his return: “They had already asked me what was going to happen, and up until then I didn’t know whether Inter was going to buy me. Yesterday (Tuesday), when I woke up, I had messages from Federico Costas (Gustavo’s son and the fitness coach) telling me I had to report to the squad on January 3.“
With the transfer window now open, the midfielder addressed how he views the next step in his career. “I feel good because I also want another shot at Racing, and I’m happy to know they’re counting on me,” he stated. “I want to be important again like I was in 2023. I want to show who I really am; I know that in 2024 I wasn’t at the level I’m capable of reaching,” Rodriguez added.
According to DSports Radio, Inter Miami are still working on a permanent deal for Baltasar Rodriguez, whose loan included an obligation to buy that was not triggered. To complete the transfer, the Herons would now need to pay a reported $5 million fee, similar to the original mandatory purchase option.
Rodriguez appeared in 22 matches for Inter Miami, scoring three goals and adding three assists. While his raw numbers were modest, his role as a left-sided midfielder behind Mateo Silvetti late in the season elevated his importance over Telasco Segovia, and at just 22 years old, Rodriguez is also viewed as an MLS-proven asset with long-term upside.
Rodriguez and a year he’ll never forget alongside Messi
Head coach Javier Mascherano played a significant role in bringing Rodriguez to Miami, having previously coached him with Argentina’s U-20 national team. Surrounded by stars, Lionel Messi became something of a mentor to the young midfielder, who admitted he learned valuable lessons about the game during their time together.
When asked what Messi taught him, Rodriguez spoke glowingly of the experience: “A lot of things. He taught me a lot and also yelled at me so I’d understand the game. He taught me when to do things and when not to. I always played at the same tempo, and he told me I needed to stay calm, that my advantage was my power. I worked on that and learned how to use it to my advantage.“
The midfielder also revealed how often he sought Messi’s guidance on positioning. “I asked him a lot about my position and where I could make a difference. ‘You position yourself here and you’ll make the difference,’ he’d tell me,” Rodriguez said, before highlighting Messi’s lighter side. “And when it comes to joking around, that little guy is unbelievable—he jokes around a lot. And when Rodrigo (De Paul) arrived, it took things to another level. The two of them together are something else,” he concluded.