It’s been a heck of an eight-day span for Inter Miami and Lionel Messi.
The defending MLS Cup champions and favorite to become the first repeat MLS winner since 2012 were given a rude welcoming to the 2026 season, falling 3-0 to LAFC on opening night. Messi came under the spotlight for appearing to go after referees postgame, only to be cleared of any extracurricular wrongdoing. Days later, Miami was in Puerto Rico for a rescheduled preseason exhibition – one that was derailed when multiple pitch invaders delayed the game and one managed to temporarily topple Messi to the ground, though the Argentine icon bounced back up.
So when Inter Miami fell 2-0 down to Orlando City Sunday night, the alarm bells that 2026 may not be all that it was cracked up to be started ringing. Messi & Co. hit the snooze on that alarm quite emphatically, though.
Messi and Telasco Segovia spearheaded a furious comeback, with Miami scoring four unanswered in a 4-2 win to secure the club’s first win of 2026 and right that early, misguided ship.
Marco Pašalić and Martín Ojeda scored in the 18th and 24th minutes to seemingly put the Lions on course for an easy night at the office, but it was after halftime that Miami unleashed its full attacking potential.
It started with Mateo Silvetti, whose stunning finish off an assist from Segovia halved the lead in the 49th minute. Messi erased the deficit altogether eight minutes later with a classic finish of his own. After getting knocked down as Miami possessed just outside the Orlando box, Messi jumped up, took the ball off a teammate and laced a pinpoint, left-footed blast through traffic to make it 2-2.
Classic Messi 😱
First goal of 2026 is a beauty! pic.twitter.com/5LcTqqjesM
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 2, 2026
Segovia scored the go-ahead goal to add to his two assists in the 85th before Messi finished it off with a free kick, beating Maxime Crépeau low and to his right after curling the ball around the wall in the 90th minute. For the Orlando fans hoping to catch a glimpse of Messi, who had yet to play a competitive match in Orlando since arriving in MLS, they got their money’s worth – albeit at the expense of their own club.
MESSI BURIES THE FREE KICK FOR HIS BRACE! 😱 pic.twitter.com/OY2INMvrHe
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 2, 2026
The win gives Inter Miami some positive momentum heading into another notable week, though one that’s more celebratory by nature. On Thursday, the club is slated to visit the White House, ahead of a matchup vs. D.C. United in Baltimore – at the Ravens’ M&T Bank Stadium – next weekend.