All eyes were on Inter Miami’s MLS debut against New York City FC, eager to see how soccer legend Lionel Messi would perform on opening night. Despite a stellar performance with two key assists, the spotlight shifted to the post-match drama, where cameras captured Messi confronting referee Rosendo Mendoza and grabbing an NYC FC assistant by the neck.
The game against NYC FC quickly became heated. Inter Miami’s center-back Tomas Aviles was sent off just minutes after opening the scoring. With the numerical advantage, the away side managed a partial 2-1 comeback, which ultimately ended in a 2-2 draw after Messi assisted Telasco Segovia in the 90+10 minute.
After the final whistle, Messi, the team captain, approached referee Mendoza to voice his frustration over several controversial decisions. Despite multiple warnings, the referee issued a booking to the Argentine star after a heated exchange.
Messi’s complaints weren’t limited to the red card decision; he was also upset about a yellow card that was not issued. The Inter Miami captain pointed toward the middle of the pitch, signaling a foul by Keaton Parks on Luis Suarez in the 48th minute. Despite the intensity of the tackle, no card was shown.
While heading to the dressing room, Messi was approached by Mehdi Ballouchy, assistant to NYC FC’s head coach Pascal Jansen, who made a comment that caught Messi’s attention. As Inter Miami’s staff intervened, Messi grabbed Ballouchy by the neck before heading off, capping off an intense night for the forward.
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Video: Tomas Aviles gets red card after being assisted by Messi in first MLS goal for Inter Miami vs. NYC FC
Coach Mascherano praises Messi’s competitiveness
In addition to his standout performance in the CONCACAF Champions Cup opener against Sporting Kansas City, Messi completed the full 90 minutes in his MLS debut, once again proving crucial not with a goal, but with two exceptional assists, always pushing his team forward. After the match, coach Javier Mascherano shared his thoughts on Messi’s impact:
“Messi is the soul of this team. You saw this on the pitch. He is a kid playing and he doesn’t want to lose. So for us it’s a big big advantage. So we just need to keep him with this spirit,” Mascherano admitted in the post-match press conference.
“Because it’s not just what he does on the pitch, it’s what he translates to his teammates and all that he does with his 37 years. He’s not just playing in attack, he helps us in defense, running the centre-back, running the whole midfield. So he’s magnificent,” Mascherano concluded.
