On Thursday night, the legendary forward guided Inter Miami to a vital 2-1 victory over Porto in their second group stage clash. ..Continue Reading
After giving away a penalty in the first half, the Argentine’s team responded with intensity, netting twice within the opening nine minutes of the second half.
Telasco Segovia found the net first for the MLS side, before Messi curled in a brilliant free kick to seal the win and greatly improve their chances of reaching the round of 16.
However, shortly after the final whistle, a journalist covering Inter Miami pointed out that the former Barcelona star had breached a tournament rule that all other players had followed.
Thanks to his standout display, Messi was awarded the Superior Player of the Match honor.
Traditionally, recipients of the award have participated in a post-match press conference, but despite expectations at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, reporter Franco Panizo confirmed that Messi opted out on Thursday.
While he did give a brief interview in the Flash Zone with DAZN, he chose not to attend the official FIFA press conference tied to the award.
Inter Miami are set to return to the pitch early Tuesday morning for their final group game against Brazilian side Palmeiras at the Hard Rock Stadium.
A win would secure their place in the knockout stage, but even a loss may not prevent them from advancing, based on FIFA’s tournament rules.
Their victory over Porto has given them a superior goal difference, which could prove decisive if both teams end up level on points after the final round of group matches.
Currently, Inter Miami hold a +1 goal difference, while Porto sits at -1—meaning the American side could still qualify even with a loss, provided Porto wins but doesn’t surpass them on goal difference.
