A Bitter Night in MLS

Inter Miami fell 5-3 to the Chicago Fire on Matchday 29 of MLS at the Chase Stadium. For Messi, this wasn’t just another defeat: it was only the third time in his career that his team conceded five goals.

Strikes from Dje D'Avilla, Jonathan Dean, Rominigue Kouamé, Justin Reynolds and Brian Gutiérrez sealed the visitors’ victory. For Miami, Tomás Avilés and a brace from Luis Suárez weren’t enough, while Messi failed to find the net, hitting the post with his best chance.

The La Paz Precedent

The first time Messi suffered a defeat of this magnitude was on April 1, 2009, when Diego Maradona’s Argentina fell 6-1 to Bolivia in La Paz during World Cup qualifying for South Africa 2010.

That day, with Messi lining up alongside Carlos Tévez, Argentina endured the worst defeat in its history, with goals from Marcelo Moreno Martins, Joaquín Botero (x2), Álex da Rosa and Didí Torrico.

Lisbon, the Most Painful Blow

The second episode was one of Barcelona’s darkest nights: the 8-2 humiliation against Bayern Munich in Lisbon in the 2020 Champions League quarter-finals.

Braces from Thomas Müller and Philippe Coutinho, along with goals from Ivan Perisic, Serge Gnabry, Joshua Kimmich and Robert Lewandowski, delivered Messi’s heaviest club defeat. “We could lose, but not in the way we did,” Messi later recalled in an interview with La Sexta.

What’s Next for Inter Miami

Despite the heavy loss, Inter Miami’s situation remains stable: they are already qualified for the MLS play-in and still have a chance at the Supporters’ Shield. With three games left, they will look to close the seven-point gap on leaders Philadelphia Union.

Their next challenge comes on Saturday, October 4, when they host the New England Revolution in search of an immediate response.