Messi lost possession up to 25 times during Inter Miami’s heavy defeat

Inter Miami endured a painful 3-5 defeat at home against Chicago Fire in the 32nd round of MLS, as Messi struggled and Suarez’s brace was not enough to save the team.

Messi had a forgettable day on the field, failing to score and repeatedly losing the ball, resulting in Inter Miami’s 3-5 loss to Chicago Fire in the 32nd round of MLS. The Argentine superstar’s lackluster display left the home side facing a harsh defeat.

The match started with a flurry of goals but turned into a disaster for Messi. At the 11th minute, Dje Tah D'Avilla opened the scoring for Chicago Fire with a precise header. At 31 minutes, Jonathan Dean doubled the lead following a quick counterattack. Messi threatened several times but failed to capitalize, and only at the 39th minute did Tomás Avilés reduce the deficit to 1-2 for Miami after a tricky corner kick from Messi. Before halftime, Kouamé scored to extend Chicago’s lead to 3-1.

In the second half, Luis Suárez became the sole hope. He scored twice (at 57 and 74 minutes) after assists from Rodríguez and Jordi Alba, leveling the score at 3-3. However, Messi continued to squander chances and couldn’t significantly influence the game. Inter Miami’s shaky defense rendered Suarez’s efforts futile. At minutes 80 and 83, Reynolds and Gutiérrez scored respectively, sealing a 5-3 victory for Chicago Fire.

Match stats reveal the extent of Messi’s disappointment: 0 goals, 0 assists, 25 times lost possession, 69% pass accuracy (34/49), 10 shots with only 2 on target, both failing to score. This was a day when Messi was no longer the leading star for Inter Miami, and his few creative moments did not translate into goals.

This defeat officially ended Inter Miami’s chance to defend the 2025 Supporters' Shield. After 31 matches, they have 56 points, 7 points behind Philadelphia Union, who still have 2 games left to clinch the title early. Although Miami is certain to qualify for the first round of the MLS Cup (October 22 – December 6), Messi’s lackluster performance shows the team still has much work to do if they want to conquer the MLS Cup.

Given the current form, the question remains whether Messi can regain his inspiration and lead Inter Miami through the ongoing challenges in the MLS.