Soccer Monday: Inter Miami keeps winning, Adams has back surgery and the Olympics

Kick the week off with all the news from this past weekend

The post-Euros and Copa America hangover brings with it the best cure — more soccer!

Yes, MLS is in full swing and the summer transfer market is moving along as teams across Europe prepare for preseason.

Here’s what matters most from this past weekend:

3. No Messi, no problem

Inter Miami just keeps on winning — even without the Argentina superstar.

On Saturday, the Florida club won its sixth games (out of seven) without Messi, posting a 2-1 home win against the Chicago Fire at Chase Stadium. The teams remains first in the Eastern Conference and currently No. 1 overall in the Supporters’ Shield race.

Nonetheless, Messi wasn’t too far away. After helping Argentina win the Copa America last Sunday, the club marked Messi’s 45th career trophy with a pre-hame ceremony.

Inter Miami President Jorge Mas presented Messi with a commemorative photo showcasing the silverware he's won at the club level with Barcelona, PSG and Inter Miami, as well as his international conquests with La Albiceleste.

“Tonight, we celebrate a great milestone for our captain Leo Messi in becoming the footballer who has lifted the most trophies in the history of the sport,” Mas said. “And I am sure he won't stop at 45. We hope he can lift more in the future.”

For all the latest MLS results, click here.

2. USMNT captain Adams has back surgery

United States captain Tyler Adams will miss the start of the Premier League season while he recovers from back surgery.

Adams, a defensive midfielder, missed much of last season because of a hamstring injury and back spasms in hist first season with Bournemouth.

The 25-year-old Adams played a full 90 minutes for the U.S. in its 1-0 defeat to Uruguay at the Copa America on July 1. Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola told the BBC that Adams had surgery two days later.

“He is out for some time,” Iraola said. “It is difficult to say how long but he won’t be fit for the start of the season. But September? October? I don’t know.”

Iraola was asked why Bournemouth didn’t stop Adams from being part of the U.S.’s Copa America roster.

“It was not our choice. It is a decision for the nations, who are allowed to select players, and he wanted to play thinking the injury would get better but he felt it was getting worse,” he added.

1. Going for gold

Track and field, swimming and gymnastics. Those are just three of the most-anticipated events at the the Olympics in Paris. Of course, add soccer to that mix.

The men’s Olympic soccer tournament — restricted to players under 23 years old, with a maximum of three over-age players allowed — has been part of the Sumer Games in every edition, except in 1896 and 1932..

A total of 16 countries have qualified:

Group A: France, United States, Guinea and New Zealand

Group B: Argentina, Morocco, Ukraine and Iraq

Group C: Uzbekistan, Spain, Egypt and the Dominican Republic

Group D: Japan, Paraguay, Mali and Israel

The women’s tournament, which does feature full senior internationals, features 12 teams:

Group A: France, Colombia, Canada and New Zealand

Group B: United States, Zambia, Germany and Australia

Group C: Spain, Japan, Nigeria and Brazil

The Olympics start this Friday, but the soccer starts twos days earlier. For the complete schedule, click here.

In other news: The first lawsuits have been filed in connection with last Sunday’s fracas that broke out when fans without tickets forced their way into the Copa America final at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami-Dade County and federal court records show that at least four lawsuits had been filed against the stadium and CONMEBOL over the chaos that broke out at the admission gates before the game between Argentina and Colombia. … Newly-promoted Serie A side Como has appointed Cesc Fabregas as its manager after the former Spain midfielder helped the club earn promotion last season as an assistant. Fabregas signed a four-year contract and that “the appointment comes after a successful campaign last season as interim and assistant coach culminating in the promotion back to Serie A,” the team said. … Spain striker Alvaro Morata, fresh off winning the Euros with La Roja, has joined AC Milan on a four-year deal with the option to extend for another year. The 31-year-old captained Spain to the European Championship title last Sunday and joins the Serie A giants from Spanish club Atletico Madrid, where he scored 21 goals last season.