On Matchday 1 of the North American Leagues Cup, Lionel Messi immediately stepped into the role of game-changer in the early hours of Thursday morning (German time) during his first start since the World Cup. Antoine Griezmann also made a crucial play.
For Inter Miami, the start to the 2026 Leagues Cup couldn’t have gone much worse. In the early hours of Thursday morning (CEST), David Rodriguez headed Atletico San Luis into the lead in the 4th minute from just a few meters out. But the match quickly swung back in Miami’s favor, as Lionel Messi didn’t need much time to find his rhythm after returning to club action from the World Cup. While the Argentine superstar had come on as a substitute in the 53rd minute of Sunday’s MLS match against the Columbus Crew (2–2), he was now in the starting lineup and, just over ten minutes into the game, skillfully directed a cross from the left wing with the inside of his foot, placing it precisely into the corner.
By halftime, Inter was leading 4–1. This was partly because, in the 44th minute, Messi held onto the ball in a tight space, laid it off to the left, and—at the end of the attack in the penalty area—magnetically drew the ball to his left foot before slamming it under the crossbar with a powerful inside-of-the-foot strike. The final 4–2 victory lifted the Florida club to second place in the MLS group for the time being. After three league matchdays, the top four teams qualify for the quarterfinals, where a representative from the top four of the Mexican group awaits.
Griezmann is in the right place
Antoine Griezmann also wants to be in the mix; unlike Messi, he has only been playing in North America for a few weeks. In the MLS, the 137-time French international and 2018 World Cup champion has scored one goal in three games for Orlando City so far; on Thursday, the Florida-based soccer club faced CF Monterrey on the road. When Tyrese Spicer curled the ball with a bit of spin from the left into the box in the 27th minute, Griezmann stretched out his leg and, while falling, put Orlando ahead 1–0—laying the groundwork for their eventual 2–1 victory.
Messi and his teammates will likely have been watching closely, as Miami will face Monterrey in front of a home crowd on Sunday, while Orlando will also host Club León, which picked up its first three points on Thursday with a 1-0 win at Nashville SC.