What a match. What a finish. And what a run for Lionel Messi and Inter Miami.
Inter Miami outdueled Nashville SC in a penalty kick shootout 10-9 to settle a 1-1 tie in the Leagues Cup final on Saturday night in Nashville, Tennessee.
We’re just seven games into the Messi experience in Miami and MLS. And Messi has already helped Inter Miami win its first championship since joining the league in 2020.
Although this feels like what should happen when the world’s greatest soccer star joins what was an otherwise lowly MLS team before his arrival, this Leagues Cup final was fought to the very end.
Messi scored in the 23rd minute. Nashville’s Fafá Picault scored in the 57th minute. And both sides were inches away from winning it in the final minutes of regulation before needing 22 total penalty kicks to decide it.
WORLD CUP CENTRAL: 2023 Women’s World Cup Live Scores, Schedules, Standings, Bracket and More
Still, Messi’s presence cannot be denied.
“We were able to put ourselves in position where we could have stole it,” Nashville coach Gary Smith said. “You’re looking at the greatest player on the planet possibly being the difference on what happened today.”
Messi wins Leagues Cup best player award
Messi – who scored 10 goals in his first tournament action with Inter Miami – won the Leagues Cup top scorer and best player awards.
Inter Miami’s Drake Callendar – who blocked two kicks in the final minutes by reigning MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar, and Nashville goalkeeper Elliot Panicco’s final penalty kick to end it – won best goalkeeper of the tournament.
And the celebration began.
Messi’s teammates hoisted him in the air as they celebrated on the pitch.
Inter Miami coach Tato Martino and his coaching staff settled for a group hug full of smiles and some tears on the bench.
And David Beckham hugged his wife, Victoria, and fellow Inter Miami co-owners Jorge and Jose Mas in the stands as their vision for Messi in Miami came to fruition.
“It was a tight game for both teams. Any team could have won it,” said Martino, who coached Messi before with FC Barcelona and Argentina. “I was very impressed with the win. We came together.”
Victor Ulloa misses crucial PK, but Elliot Panicco’s miss wins it for Inter Miami
Nashville’s Randall Leal missed the second penalty kick. Inter Miami’s Victor Ulloa missed the fifth and final kick to extend the game.
And after 11 penalty kicks by both sides, it was Inter Miami celebrating its first title of the Messi era after Panicco missed the final kick of the night.
The players who took PKs for Miami were: Messi, S. Busquets; L. Campana; K. Miller, V. Ulloa (miss), S. Kryvtsov, J. Alba, D. Gómez, D. Ruíz, D. Yedlin, D. Callender.
The players who took PKs for Nashville were: H. Mukhtar, R. Leal (miss), A. Godoy, W. Zimmerman, S. Surridge, S. Moore, D. Lovitz, L. MacNaughton, S. Davis, J. Shaffelburg, E. Panicco (miss).
Heading to Penalty Kicks: Inter Miami 1, Nashville 1
The final moments of regulation was full of action, and this game will be decided by penalty kicks.
Inter Miami’s Leonard Campana missed two kicks on goal after Nashville’s goalkeeper came too far out on a contest. Campana even slid and tried to stretch his left foot onto the ball, hitting the left goal post despite an open net. Regulation ended seconds after the mix.
Nashville’s reigning MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar misses two kicks in the final minutes: a free kick he was awarded after a yellow card in the 89th minute, and a miss that was too high and deflected by Inter Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender one minute later.
Hany Mukhtar miss: Inter Miami 1, Nashville 1
MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar had a free kick and an opportunity to deliver a serious blow to Inter Miami.
But Mukhtar was unable to convert his kick just outside the box in the 84th minute.
Inter Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender watched as the kick sailed to the right side outside of the net.
If the game remains tied at the end of regulation, it will be decided by penalty kicks.
Nashville misses: Inter Miami 1, Nashville 1
Nashville almost found an opportunity to take the lead.
MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar led the charge toward the net and dropped a pass to Sam Surridge, but his shot was blocked by Inter Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender in the 77th minute.
We’re still tied at 1 heading into the final 10 minutes.
Messi off the post: Inter Miami 1, Nashville 1
Messi was inches away from his second goal in this game.
Messi found space to get a kick off with his left foot, but the ball ricocheted off the right goal post in the 71st minute.
Messi nearly had another brace, or two goals scored, during Leagues Cup play.
Messi missed another shot from outside the box earlier in the second half.
Fafá Picault goal: Inter Miami 1, Nashville SC 1
We’ve got a tie game, folks.
Nashville took advantage of a set piece from the corner, and has made this Leagues Cup final even more intriguing.
Fafá Picault’s kick hit off Inter Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender and went into the net in the 57th minute.
Halftime: Inter Miami 1, Nashville SC 0
Lionel Messi’s left boot has already made its mark in this Leagues Cup final.
Messi scored in the 23rd minute, and Inter Miami leads Nashville SC 1-0 at halftime.
Messi is up to 10 goals in seven games during his Inter Miami career.
Nashville trails for the first time at halftime during its Leagues Cup run.
Lionel Messi goal: Inter Miami 1, Nashville SC 0
Lionel Messi does it again.
Messi scored the first goal in the Leagues Cup final in the 23rd minute.
Messi had four defenders around him, and still found space for his left boot to perform its magic.
Messi is now up to 10 goals in seven games in his Inter Miami career.
The goal also is No. 37 in a final in Messi’s storied career.
Highlights from first 20 minutes: Inter Miami 0, Nashville SC 0
∎ Robert Taylor misses Inter Miami’s first shot on goal in the match just before the 21st minute.
∎ Nashville’s Walker Zimmerman misses a header at the next in 17’ with good defense by Inter Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender. Nashville missed its first two shots on goal.
∎ Messi was bumped by a Nashville player in the opening minutes and it was his longtime teammate Sergio Busquets, who came to his defense.
Giannis does Ronaldo’s ‘SIU’ celebration before Messi game
Giannis Antetokounmpo, a minority owner in Nashville SC, scored a goal on the pitch before the game. But his celebration is the news here.
Antetokounmpo celebrated by performing Cristiano Ronaldo’s “SIU” celebration near midfield after his kick hit the back of the net.
We’ll see if Antetokounmpo poked the bear with his antics during the game.
How to watch: Messi, Inter Miami in Leagues Cup final
The Leagues Cup final between Inter Miami and Nashville SC kicks off at 9 p.m., and can be streamed live via the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
The game will not be broadcast on cable TV.
Predictions for Inter Miami, Nashville SC Leagues Cup final
Here are a few game predictions from members of the USA TODAY Sports staff:
Alicia DelGallo: Messi gets a brace in the first half, Inter Miami wins 2-0.
Safid Deen: Messi and Inter Miami score early and often, 3-1.
Mike Brehm: Nashville wins 3-1.
Jace Evans: Miami has to lose at some point, right? Nashville wins 2-1.
Cydney Henderson: I am going to put my money on Messi and Inter Miami. 4-1!
Celebrities show out at Messi game
The stars are once again out for Lionel Messi, and tonight’s Leagues Cup final between Inter Miami and Nashville SC.
NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks is in Nashville’s ownership group, and was on the pitch before the game.
“This is amazing. This is an amazing atmosphere,” Antetokounmpo said.
U.S. Men’s National team alum Landon Donovan was also interviewed on the pitch by Apple TV.
“To see, in my opinion, the greatest player ever on our fields just blows my mind first of all,” Donovan said.
“I was not expecting him to come out of the gate and be so dominant so early, and make everyone around him better. That’s the real sign of a great leader, great captain, great player. He makes everyone else better. And it’s been really fun to watch.”
And actress Reese Witherspoon posed for a photo alongside Inter Miami co-owner and soccer legend David Beckham before the game.
Is Messi playing tonight? Here are the starting lineups:
Messi is in the starting lineup once again for Inter Miami, marking his sixth start in seven games.
Here’s the starting lineups for both teams:
Inter Miami, Nashville ticket prices for Leagues Cup Final
Want to see Messi in the Leagues Cup final in Nashville?
It could cost a pretty penny, based on ticket sales prices skyrocketing for Inter Miami games since Messi’s arrival.
The cheapest tickets available just before gametime: Vivid Seats ($285), StubHub ($397), Ticketmaster ($473).
And the most expensive: Ticketmaster ($3,748), Vivid Seats ($2,299), StubHub ($1,260).
Yeah, that’s per ticket.
How quickly has Messi made impact on Inter Miami
Messi has scored nine goals in six games, while Inter Miami has scored 21 goals during the Leagues Cup. All six games before tonight’s final were victories for Inter Miami.
Before Messi, Inter Miami scored 22 goals in 22 MLS games this season. With their 5-3-14 (W-D-L) record, Inter Miami sits at the bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference.
“They’re only gonna get better,” Philadelphia Union coach Jim Curtin said after the 4-1 loss to Inter Miami.
“Their ownership is going to spend like crazy and they’re going to make them the best team in the league, and they might already be one of the best teams in the league. So yeah, that’s coming and I don’t think anything is stopping that.”
Messi and Inter Miami’s last time out vs. Philadelphia Union
It was supposed to be the toughest test yet for Lionel Messi and Inter Miami.
And they aced it with flying colors.
Josef Martinez scored three minutes into the match. Messi scored a long goal off his left foot in the 20th minute. Jordi Alba scored just before halftime. And David Ruiz, 19, scored in the 84th minute to lead Inter Miami to a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Union in their Leagues Cup semifinal match on Tuesday night.
How difficult was this challenge supposed to be for Miami? Philly lost just one match in their last 41 contests on their home pitch before their loss to Inter Miami.
