Lionel Messi added another milestone to his legendary career by scoring his 860th goal during his first MLS game in Minnesota. However, it wasn’t enough to save Inter Miami from a heavy 4-1 defeat to Minnesota United on May 10 at Allianz Field.
Messi’s lone goal came in the 47th minute when he expertly capitalized on a pass from Jordi Alba, slotting the ball from the left side of the net before it ricocheted off the right post and into the goal. Despite this highlight, the team struggled to keep pace with Minnesota’s offensive response.
Minnesota’s Bongokuhle Hlongwane opened the scoring in the 32nd minute, followed by Anthony Markanich’s close-range goal during first-half injury time. Robin Lod extended their lead with a decisive strike in the 70th minute, complemented by an own goal from Inter Miami defender Marcelo Weigandt in the 68th minute that further deflated Miami’s hopes. 
“The third goal finished us off. It killed us,” said Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano, referring to the own goal. He admitted his team struggled defensively against Minnesota’s quick transitions and set-piece tactics, which they had specifically prepared for but failed to counter effectively.
Inter Miami’s offense largely lacked spark, especially with Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez absent due to personal reasons and forward Fafa Picault sidelined by migraines. Messi, playing alongside experienced midfielders like Sergio Busquets and rising talents such as Benjamin Cremaschi, was unable to lift the team to overcome Minnesota’s dominant play.
This marks Inter Miami’s fourth loss in five games, including their first three-game skid since Messi joined the club in July 2023. The defeat could see them drop from fourth place in the MLS Eastern Conference standings with the rest of the league in action. Meanwhile, Minnesota remains strong in second place in the MLS Western Conference with 22 points, trailing only first-place Vancouver.
Messi’s latest goal highlights his ongoing rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo, who leads the all-time scoring chart with 934 goals. However, Messi reached 860 goals faster than Ronaldo, achieving this accomplishment in 91 fewer games. Messi is now just two goals shy of having 100 more goals than Brazilian legend Pelé, who tallied 762 goals.
Inter Miami will travel west to face the San Jose Earthquakes on May 14 at 10:30 p.m. ET. With five regular-season matches remaining in May, the team will aim to regroup before facing Al Ahly in the Club World Cup opening match on June 14.
