The Argentine superstar once again played the role of “hero” when Inter Miami found themselves in trouble.
Messi’s two goals against Orlando City
Inter Miami pulled off a stunning comeback against Orlando City in the 2025 Leagues Cup semifinal. The Argentine icon equalized for David Beckham’s club from the penalty spot and then struck again in the 89th minute to make it 2-1. These two decisive moments paved the way for Inter Miami’s 3-1 victory.
Lionel Messi shines again to secure the win for Inter Miami
Earlier, Orlando City had taken the lead in the first half and sat back defensively throughout the second half to protect their advantage. Messi and his teammates struggled to find the breakthrough, but the Argentine maestro once again proved that age is just a number.
Messi played the full 90 minutes, recording 77 touches, 55 passes with an 82% accuracy rate, including 3 out of 4 successful long balls. He attempted six shots, hitting the target twice—and both went in. Despite his age, Messi was unafraid of physical duels, winning four out of six challenges.
An emotional celebration with his son
Back to the penalty, Messi faced off against penalty specialist Pedro Gallese. Despite the pressure, the Argentine calmly converted. For his second goal, two former Barcelona teammates—Messi and Jordi Alba—combined brilliantly, before the 38-year-old buried a low shot into the far corner, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.
Messi then ran straight to the stands to hug his two sons after scoring.
With these two goals, Messi has now scored 877 times in 1,176 matches—the fastest in history—including 766 goals from open play. For Inter Miami this season alone, he has racked up 27 goals, 10 assists, and 15 Man of the Match awards.
After his second strike, Messi moved many fans to tears with his celebration alongside his children. It’s worth noting that just over two weeks ago, Orlando City thrashed Inter Miami 4-1 in Messi’s absence. But the moment the Argentine legend returned, everything changed.
