Lionel Messi Suffers Worst Loss of Inter Miami Career
For a few minutes in the second half of Inter Miami CF's MLS match against Minnesota United FC on Saturday, there was hope.
Trailing 2-0 at halftime, Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi combined with one of his trusted teammates Jordi Alba for a goal that cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 48th minute.
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From there, it all came crashing down. In the 68th minute, Marcelo Weigandt's inexplicable own goal put the writing on the wall for the Herons. Minnesota's Robin Lod landed the final blow two minutes later, putting the Loons up 4-1.
It was hard to imagine things getting worse for Inter Miami after a crushing CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal defeat to Vancouver Whitecaps, but the loss in Minnesota proved it was possible.
When the 90 minutes was up, Messi's goal could not save his team from the lopsided 4-1 defeat that went down as the worst scoreline of any game he has played since joining the club in July 2023.
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It was only the eighth loss in Messi's 53 appearances for IMCF across all competitions. Previously, the worst scorelines with the Argentinian World Cup winner on the pitch were 3-1 defeats to Vancouver in 2025 (Champions Cup), Monterrey in 2024 (Champions Cup) and Atlanta United in 2024 (MLS regular season).
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) looks on during the first half against Minnesota United at Allianz Field.Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images
In those 53 games, Messi has tallied 43 goals and 21 assists. He has lifted the 2023 Leagues Cup, the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield and the 2024 MLS MVP award along the way.
One can imagine how much a rare three-goal loss stings for Messi, considering he sulked off the field after a 4-1 win last weekend against New York Red Bulls — a frustration head coach Javier Mascherano attributed to "his level of demand, not only with himself but with all around him.'
The result against Minnesota made it two losses in the last three league games — and four out of five in all competitions — for Inter Miami after an undefeated start through eight matches.
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The Herons are fourth in the Eastern Conference standings with 21 points. It is a quick turnaround before another MLS away match on Wednesday night against the San Jose Earthquakes.
Related: Lionel Messi's Issue With Inter Miami Teammates Revealed
Related: Lionel Messi's Behavior Toward Inter Miami Fan Draws Strong Reaction
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