Inter Miami lost 2-0 at New York Red Bulls in round 31 of Major League Soccer on 24 October, US time, the morning of 25 October in Vietnam. Lionel Messi started on the bench after a trip to Spain to collect the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports. He came on in the second half and lifted his side, but did not score or assist, VnExpress reported. A seventh-minute own goal by Casemiro and a stoppage-time strike from Emil Forsberg settled the game.
How the game went
According to Dân trí, Cade Cowell crossed in the seventh minute and the former Manchester United midfielder Casemiro turned the ball into his own net under pressure from young American forward Julian Hall. VnExpress put the opener down to the intensity New York brought from kick-off. Ninth in the Eastern Conference, they badly needed points to hold off the teams below them, since dropping to 10th would make their playoff push much harder with three rounds left.
Without Messi from the start, Inter Miami generated just 0.24 expected goals (xG) to New York's 1.24, VnExpress reported. Once on the pitch, he played several passes that opened up chances and lifted that figure to 0.81. The clearest chance came in the 84th minute, when Messi started the move that ended with Telasco Segovia hitting the crossbar. Thanh Niên said strikers Suarez and Berterame both had quiet games.
In stoppage time, Forsberg converted a pass from Cameron Harper to make it 2-0, according to Dân trí. Thanh Niên put that goal down to a mistake by the Inter Miami goalkeeper.
The defeat ended Inter Miami's run of three straight wins (Dân trí) and also ended Messi's run of consecutive games with a goal or an assist. VnExpress said it was the first time Messi had failed to score or assist in an MLS game against New York Red Bulls.
Why Messi started on the bench
According to Thanh Niên, Messi travelled to Spain to receive the Princess of Asturias Award and boarded a private jet from Asturias airport to New York right after the ceremony. VnExpress said the 39-year-old crossed the Atlantic with almost no time to recover or train with his team-mates.
Coach Cristian Gonzalez (Thanh Niên calls him Kily Gonzalez) said the decision to start Messi on the bench had been agreed in advance because of the long journey and the changes in time zone and temperature, with another game coming in midweek and a need to avoid any risk of injury. He also took the blame for the defeat, saying his side lost the ball too often in midfield, played too many passes facing their own goal and struggled to build from the back, Dân trí reported.
Citing US media, Thanh Niên reported that many Inter Miami fans have questioned the commitment of Messi and De Paul after trips to personal events. Gonzalez replied that both players make their own decisions about their private lives, that he knew about De Paul's trip to Venezuela and that every player in his squad has the right to put family first. For more on the award, see our story on Messi's trip to Oviedo for the Princess of Asturias Award.
Inter Miami in the MLS picture
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Inter Miami | Second in the East, already through to the MLS Cup playoffs, 15 points behind Nashville | Thanh Niên, Dân trí |
| Nashville | 70 points from 31 games, first Supporters' Shield after a 2-0 win over CF Montreal | VnExpress |
| MLS regular-season points record | 74 points, set by Inter Miami in 2024 | VnExpress |
| New York Red Bulls | Ninth in the East, needing points to avoid dropping to 10th | VnExpress |
| Messi in MLS this season | 25 goals, 15 assists | VnExpress |
| Messi's career | 936 goals, 64 short of 1,000 goals | Thanh Niên |
The defeat does not affect Inter Miami's second place in the East, but it ends their hopes of the Supporters' Shield, the trophy for the best regular-season record, VnExpress reported. Nashville need five more points from their last three games to beat the record Inter Miami set.
What comes next
Journalist Jose Armando of Deporte Total USA, quoted by Thanh Niên, said Messi would return to Miami with the squad on 25 October and then attend the opening of the Messi Cup 2026 at Inter Miami's training complex. Thanh Niên said this confirms that Messi is skipping the Ballon d'Or ceremony on 26 October. Timings for the ceremony in Vietnam time are in our Ballon d'Or 2026 schedule in Vietnam time.
Inter Miami host FC Cincinnati next, on 29 October, according to Dân trí. The MLS Cup playoffs, where Messi's side can still defend their title, start on 18 November, VnExpress reported.