Lionel Messi vs Nashville | Assist, Penalty Miss & Defeat | 15/08/2026

And from one number 10 to the best number 10 of all time. Lionel Messi, 12 goals and 8 assists so far in MLS and he shows no signs of slowing. 70% of his work is done before he receives the ball with his incredible movement. The only way to stop Messi is to stop the supply line to him. If not, it will be a long evening for Nashville. The place is sold out, we understand. Cars still making their way into the parking lot and for Lionel Messi There was an Instagram post after the death of his father Jorge. Had us wondering what the future holds for his playing career. Here he is tonight, his first start since the passing of his father. Nashville would be in terrific position playing his 40th MLS game tonight. He's paired at center back with Ian Frey. Lionel Messi, first involvement, able to pick up. Fagundo Mora, his service is blocked away. Ball came out on the near side, it is out for a Nashville throw. He's playing his Formula One World Championship. Resumes after the summer break. Don't miss a moment of the Formula One season from lights out to checkered flag. DePaul. Some nice little pearls of wisdom, so feel free. Bleach Boys, one into Miami, nil. He's huge. I think he's a leader at the back. He's an organizer and he's been the one mainstay. This team this season so far. Suarez has a beat on this loose ball. This is Luis Suarez, clipped in the box. It's a penalty for the greatest of all time. Return to the club Wednesday in a sub role in this start. Lionel Messi looking to level the match at one. I think the question mark is, is Reguilon in the box before the strike is taken? And the answer to that is yes. And obviously VAR. They're going to take a good look at this because there are a number of players that have gone into the box before. Messi actually makes contact with the ball. To becoming the league's first repeat champion since the Galaxy in 2011 and 2012. Here comes Lionel Messi with that mission in mind. Messi takes on multiple defenders. The real field temperature at kick was in the low 90s. Nothing to sneeze at. He had 20 goal contributions in Germany over the past four years. Last year on loan with Hanover and in MLS. Played Miami six times in the past year in all competitions. Here's Messi. Pulls it back on Saad. Suarez fouled by Saad. Obstacle quickly. Lionel Messi gets Miami going. Rodrigo de Paul. Rotted Messi. The return pass broken up. Just a bit off there. And there is against Naxi Falcone. Suraj coming all the way back to help out defensively in Falcone. It is Nashville loading that number to better than 68 percent. Here's Messi. Step for a throw. Played in quickly. Here's Messi. Given away. Saad across. Suraj. Here they are. It seems to have said it's absolutely fine. Here's Messi. Wonsei and Frey. Woleji. Covers that space so well. Sees this ball out. And they're loving the defensive effort on that end of the stadium. And that's something that you see on a consistent basis. But it's brilliant covering. That's what you need from Isanaba. Messi. The return from de Paul. Espinosa and well played ahead. Frey to the foot of Messi. Lionel Messi. Top of the box. Segovia closed down initially. Still to Lasko. Segovia turns, shoots, fires. To Lasko. Segovia to level the match at one. First half stoppage time. Back in business at Giotas Park. It's his third goal of the season. And well earned by Segovia. And it only takes a second for Inter Miami. And more importantly, it only takes a second for this guy on the ball eventually in Messi. But you will need to talk about the defensive side here. Nahar, he gambles. He goes out. He doesn't realize where Segovia is. Because of that, Segovia is able to take that inside step. Yes, he still has a lot of work to do. And he gets the better of Palacios. But just... Miami plays ahead quickly. Here's Luis Suarez. And brought down by Messi. Still more than two minutes to go. Segovia for Messi again. They work this out wide. Falcone for Messi. Allure to Leosad. Lionel Messi on the move. Cut centrally. Messi. No lane to shoot. Able to lay this off. Now the return from Messi. Broken up. Tag set there to deny that. Now for a throw. Miami would find the equalizer. You know, the rest of the officials... We see him coming out to the field now. This is where the officials probably just have to be a little bit more, you know, assertive and say, right, you need to come out. You need to come out now. Because the referees come out, but he's now waiting for the rest of the plays. And you can see that. I'm sure Drew Fisher, the fourth official, they're just having a chat with Guillermo Hoyas. I'm sure he's saying to them, they should be out in the field by now. And I think the referees can have a part to play in that, as in terms of making sure that they're getting out of the door and onto the pitch quicker. Well, enforcement would involve the showing of cards of various colors, I would imagine. And into Miami with star power. Probably well aware the game's not starting without them. Reguilon laid this off. Now to Lascaux-Segovia. Has the captain Lionel Messi waiting on this. Messi sends it in. That's Suarez making a dead run for goal. That's broken up. Comes out here, Casemiro. Yannick Bright leading the charge. Bright takes this over the 18. A quick shot off the foot of Messi is saved by Schalke. Instantly, you can see the start of this second half into Miami. Pressing a little bit higher because it's Bright that wins the ball back here. He feeds it to Messi. Ian Frey will leave this. No, he won't. He'll take it himself. Now the ball from Messi. Too late. Can Miami answer back a second time? Frey. Messi. Lionel Messi has De Paul. Continues his run. Messi in the 18. Turner shoots, and it bounces over the bar. Crafted by inner Miami, but they miss. It's really good play. Good link up between Messi and De Paul. But what I love about Messi, when he gives the ball, he's just lending it. Because then he wants it back. And it's a lovely little scoop from De Paul. If anyone can find the back of the net from there, it is Messi. Assistant referee was having another bit though. Messi gets the engine going the other way. Lionel Messi. Initial move. Has Suarez. Messi gathers his second time. This game, every time Messi gets the ball, it's... Messi. Two official right there. Let the contact go. A frustrated Leo Messi pounds the ground. Yeah, it's when Messi gets the ball here. I don't think so. I think if you look at the way that the game has gone through, Messi just gets the ball here. You might think there is contact. I think it might actually be. Corcoran let the game flow. I personally don't think that that is a foul. And obviously, Messi, he does believe it's a foul. He's not. He did. I don't think it's a foul. I don't think the referee was right not to give anything. He just tags it, gets a touch and a ball. But Messi, he's having absolutely none of it. Messi now getting a yellow card because he's applauding the referee. Drew Fisher this evening, I'll tell you, he's standing for nothing. No nonsense whatsoever. And he has let a lot go. And I think when you look at what has been allowed to go... Here's Messi. Messi. Lionel Messi. Segovia. Messi. Collision at the top of the 18. He went down hard as Segovia released the shot. It goes wide. Messi gets a foul. He wants a foul. He has to be very careful, though, because he's showing that imaginary yellow card to the referee. Drew Fisher, he's on a yellow card. And we know the ball back a little bit just to see if he can get a better angle to potentially be able to get it up and over the wall. If anybody's capable of doing it. That's the number 10 over the ball for Inter Miami. Lionel Messi in the 68th minute. It's to him a second time. Wall does its job again. This ball played in and settled by Schalke. Casemiro. Messi. Lionel Messi off the left foot. Saved by Schalke. Schalke's positioning has been exemplary. Messi not had that much space, but he's able to just... Rodrigo de Paul for Miami. Messi gets going again. Lionel Messi. Yannick Breit. Still Breit. To the foot of Messi. With a difficult angle. Takes a deflection out. It's a Miami corner. It's brilliant. Breit. Messi. Played back by Surge, but given away to Inter Miami. And they work it quickly. Lionel Messi. Making a run. Segovia. Looking for a second. Tolosco. Segovia. Saved. Made. Schalke. Stuck a leg out. From Hani Mukhtar. And now. Messi looking to get his team within two. Nashville will take a breath here as it's a goal kick. They lost the ball in Nashville. And they get nine players back behind the ball. In a four to one match. For Messi. Instead it's a free kick. In the instance. He says it's mine. Messi. Goes wide. From three quarters of the stadium. Got out of their chair. Schalke. Think he was the coolest person in the stadium. Just sees he moves over. Just moves his arms away. Knows that he's going wide. Gets it over the ball really well. Just too much curl. A hydration break accounting. For part of that as they pick up Messi. Lionel Messi. Top of the box. Taking off his football tag set. Drew Fisher says no foul. And now Shaq Muhammad. Off to the races the other way. De Paul. Looking for Suarez. Touchdown by Allen. And there's the shot. Isn't able to stand up. The left post. And the right post. And helping that. Mokhtar tried to thread the needle for Muhammad. If he did. They might have had a flip. Messi. The other way. Lionel Messi. Takes this into the 18. Messi shooting. Fires and scores. But the flag is up. Didn't look like when he received the ball. He was in an offside position. He did really well. To create space for himself. The assistant referee didn't initially put the flag up. I mean take nothing away from the move in the finish though. Wow. We would accurately label them at this point. With great work to do. And check my math. It's five points of separation. As we watch Messi continue on. Lionel Messi with a shot blocked away. I think when you look at this Inter Miami team. And rightly so. You look at a player like Messi. Obviously looking frustrated. But he's a game changer. On his own. So at times you watch Inter Miami. And that is all. For Nashville. A 4-1 victory. On their home ground.