Lionel Messi has been given a target date for his return to Inter Miami action, following a prolonged absence due to an ankle ligament injury sustained during the Copa America final on July 14.

The Argentine superstar has not played for his club since June 1, and his national team commitments have further delayed his return to the pitch.

According to Argentine outlet Olé, Messi is expected to make a “dream” return against the Chicago Fire on August 31. However, the outlet notes that this may be a risky move, given that Messi has yet to resume training.

If he doesn’t play against the Fire, a more realistic target would be the match against the Union on September 14, which would give him an additional two weeks to recover.

Lionel Messi is still sidelined for Inter Miami after suffering an ankle injury last month

However, he’s been enjoying his time off the pitch as he and his family went on vacation

The Chicago Fire has announced that it will offer vouchers to fans if Messi doesn’t play in the game.

The Fire said in a statement that they expected Messi to play. If he can’t, the team said it would offer single match buyers who purchased between now and game day $250 off two or more new 2025 Chicago Fire season ticket memberships or $100 off two or more single match tickets for the 2025 home match against Inter Miami.

If fans already had purchased tickets, the Fire said they would offer the chance to claim two complimentary tickets to the Fire’s Fan Appreciation Night on Oct. 19 against Nashville.

A return vs. the Union on September 14 would be exactly two months out from Messi’s injury in the Copa America final against Colombia, which Argentina were ultimately able to win 1-0 without him.

Messi injured himself during the Copa America final vs. Colombia on July 14 in Miami

He and his wife Antonela jointly posted pictures of a family boat day last month to Instagram

Despite his injury, Messi has been making the most of his summer, enjoying a vacation with his wife, Antonela, and their three kids.

The family enjoyed a boat day, with Messi and Antonela sharing snaps of the outing on Instagram.

The Argentina star was not selected for the national team’s squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers due to his ongoing injury.

He’s also started just 11 of Miami’s 25 games this year, though the Herons are still in first place in the Eastern Conference.