Lionel Messi was back in action—and back to doing what he does best. The Argentine superstar came through for Inter Miami, rescuing Javier Mascherano’s team in a tense Major League Soccer matchup with LA Galaxy.
Despite dominating the first half, the Herons struggled after the break. But Messi’s brilliance as the iconic No. 10 proved decisive, securing all three points for Miami in the 2025 MLS season.
Still, as the team gears up for a high-stakes Leagues Cup quarterfinal against Tigres UANL, Messi’s performance has sparked a few concerns.
Miami in control
The hosts looked sharp in the first half, but not everything went their way. In the 32nd minute, Telasco Segovia thought he had scored after a brilliant assist from Luis Suárez—only for the goal to be ruled out following a VAR review.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 43rd minute, and the opener came in style. Just as Messi and Rodrigo De Paul were receiving a warm ovation while stepping off the bench to begin their warm-ups, Jordi Alba made his move.
The Spanish fullback timed his run perfectly, darting into space after a brilliant through ball from Sergio Busquets. Alba didn’t hesitate—he fired a powerful shot to the near post, beating the keeper and putting the Herons up 1–0.
Miami kicked off the second half with a double substitution that had fans buzzing: Messi and Rodrigo De Paul entered, aiming to inject fresh energy into Javier Mascherano’s side. But things didn’t go entirely as planned.
Shortly after stepping onto the pitch, Messi was seen clutching the back of his thigh—an unsettling sign that his hamstring issue may still be lingering. The Argentine captain had missed two games due to the injury and, while determined to play, didn’t look fully comfortable throughout the match.
To make matters worse, LA Galaxy equalized in the 59th minute. Ghanaian forward Joseph Paintsil delivered a stunning solo effort, slicing through defenders Marcelo Weigandt and Gonzalo Luján before firing a low shot past goalkeeper Óscar Ustari at the near post. The goal silenced Chase Stadium and shifted momentum away from the Herons.
Messi steps up
Messi may not be 100%, but even a limited version of the Argentine legend is game-changing. During the game, he avoided taking corner kicks from the right side and often drifted into deeper positions, away from the action—clear signs that his hamstring issue is still lingering. Yet when the moment came, he delivered.
In the 84th minute, De Paul found Messi just outside the box. What followed was vintage Leo: he shrugged off Lucas Sanabria, danced past Edwin Cerrillo in a one-on-one, and curled a pinpoint shot past goalkeeper Novak Mićović to give Miami a 2–1 lead.
Just when fans thought Messi had done enough, he delivered one more moment of brilliance. In the 89th minute, the Argentine maestro flicked a stunning backheel pass to Luis Suárez, who calmly finished past the keeper to make it 3–1 and close out the match in style.
It was Messi’s 10th assist of the 2025 MLS season, adding to his league-leading 19 goals. Even while nursing a hamstring issue, he continues to be the difference-maker for Inter Miami.