Lionel Messi’s first season in Major League Soccer will end without a trip to the playoffs after Inter Miami’s 1-0 loss to FC Cincinnati on Saturday night.
Messi entered in the 55th minute and went scoreless for the fourth straight league game since getting a goal in the 89th minute of his MLS debut. The defeat eliminated Miami from contention with two games remaining. He had missed five of the team’s six previous games in all competitions because of a leg injury.
Anticipating a second-half appearance, fans at DRV PNK Stadium screamed his name when Messi and teammates began warmups along the sidelines. The screams intensified as Messi approached the midfield area and entered the match in the 55th minute.
He made an immediate impact, drawing a foul and free kick in the 59th minute. But his shot from 25 yards sailed high and wide.
“As far as the injury is concerned, he is fine. There are no problems,” Inter Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said in Spanish. “Obviously, because he has not played recently, there was a lack of rhythm. That is why he played [35] minutes.”
Cincinnati, in first place in the Eastern Conference, won the game on Álvaro Barreal’s goal in the 78th minute. Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender stopped Yuya Kubo’s shot and Barreal retrieved the deflection and converted with his left foot from eight yards.
Messi had another free kick during stoppage time but his equalizing attempt sailed wide left.
The loss kept Miami on 33 points with two matches remaining, while eighth-place Montreal solidified its chances at a playoff berth with a 4-1 win over Portland.
“Honestly, I anticipated the exact difference from what occurred,” said Martino, who took over as Miami coach on 28 June. “My expectations were to build the club and qualify for the playoffs.”
Miami won one, drew two and lost two with Messi out of the lineup. Given injury concerns, Messi has likely played his last MLS match of the season. He also has pending World Cup qualifying commitments with Argentina.
Messi has scored 12 goals in the combined 13 league and cup matches he has played since joining Miami on a two-and-a-half-year deal in July. With Messi in the lineup, Miami won eight, drew none and lost four before Saturday’s loss.
Cincinnati have already clinched the top berth in the East and a first-round bye. The win also avenged a home loss against Miami in the US Open Cup semi-final on 23 August.
“We had this circled after the Open Cup,” Cincinnati defender Nick Hagglund told Apple TV+. “It was a tough loss at home. We wanted to come to their place and give them a taste of their own little medicine.”
Miami put pressure on throughout the first half but could not beat goalkeeper Roman Celentano. Tomás Avilés hit the crossbar in the ninth minute. Josef Martinez hit the goalpost in the 24th minute and Benjamin Cremaschi glanced a shot off the crossbar.
“We needed to make a difference in the first half,” Martino said. “Our football was at its best in the first half. We just could not get the needed goal.”
Messi will join Argentina for 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru on 12 October and 17 October respectively. With Miami’s season ending soon, Argentina must figure out how to maintain Messi’s fitness for World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil in November.
Miami’s remaining league matches will be a home and road set against Charlotte on 18 and 21 of October.
