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Inter Miami have no shortage of firepower in front of goal. On Sunday, the Herons delivered a thrilling 6–4 victory over bottom-side Philadelphia Union to claim just their second-ever win at Nu Stadium, battling through a heavy downpour in south Florida.
The game burst into life immediately, with Philadelphia's Milan Iloski getting the better of Miami's Dayne St. Clair in the fourth minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse. Shortly after, St. Clair was caught out by a poorly judged penalty, and Miami found themselves trailing 2–0 before the 10th minute had passed.
The deficit didn't last. Lionel Messi took charge and drove Miami's attack forward, first teeing up Germán Berterame for a close-range finish — the first of his two goals on the night. Luis Suárez completed a hat-trick, with the standout moment being an acrobatic effort in which he controlled Ian Fray's cross with his chest before firing a thunderous strike past Union goalkeeper Andre Blake. Rodrigo De Paul added a late goal on the counter to wrap up the 6–4 result.
OMG what a goal by Luis Suárez 😱 pic.twitter.com/F3wckQuchB
The 4–4 scoreline at halftime marked the first occasion in MLS history that eight goals had been scored in the opening 45 minutes of a match, while the combined total of 10 goals fell just one short of the all-time single-game record of 11.
However, the dominant talking point of the evening was Messi's sudden departure. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner was forced off in the 73rd minute after appearing to feel discomfort in his leg, grabbing at his hamstring as he made his way to the locker room for treatment. The incident has cast serious doubt over his fitness for the 2026 World Cup, now less than 20 days away.
Here, Sports Illustrated breaks down the match, grading every Inter Miami player who featured in the victory.
Inter Miami Report Card vs. Philadelphia Union (4-3-3)
GK: Dayne St. Clair—C-: The Canadian endured a rocky start to the match, but recovered to finish the night with seven saves and was arguably Miami's most reliable defensive performer, helping keep the team afloat.
RB: Ian Fray—B: Fray continued to log important minutes for Inter Miami and was lively down the flank, capping his performance with the cross that led to Suárez's acrobatic 3–2 goal.
CB: Gonzalo Luján—C-: Luján is still finding his feet in Inter Miami's defensive setup and was frequently troubled by 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan and the rest of Philadelphia's attacking unit.
CB: Micael—F: The Brazilian center back endured one of his worst outings in an Inter Miami shirt, unable to contain Iloski as opposing attackers repeatedly bypassed him with ease.
LB: Sergio Reguilón—D: Reguilón's time at Inter Miami has largely failed to impress, and Sunday was no exception. On a night full of attacking opportunity, he offered little going forward and even less defensively.
RM: Rodrigo De Paul—A: De Paul has been putting in extra training sessions alongside Lionel Messi ahead of the World Cup and looks sharper than ever. Having just turned 32, the Argentine veteran is in outstanding form and delivered the decisive goal.
CM: Yannick Bright—B: Miami's most consistent performer of 2026, Bright pushed forward regularly throughout Sunday's match but couldn't quite create a genuine scoring chance. That said, his nine defensive contributions were crucial in bringing some order to a chaotic contest.
LM: Telasco Segovia—D: Segovia will want to put this performance behind him quickly, struggling to make any impact in attack and being repeatedly exposed by Iloski and Sullivan.
RW: Lionel Messi—B: In a 10-goal thriller, it's remarkable that Messi didn't get on the scoresheet. Nevertheless, he contributed two assists before being forced off with an injury.
ST: Germán Berterame—B+: Berterame remains in contention for Mexico's World Cup squad, and a brace — even with Messi doing much of the creative work — brings him to seven MLS goals this season, strengthening his case for selection.
LW: Luis Suárez—A++++!!!!: The Uruguayan icon was simply magnificent! His second goal — a stunning chest control followed by a ferocious half-volley into the net — was a moment of pure class. His movement and positioning in the box were equally impressive, evoking memories of his finest years at the top of the game.
SUB: David Ayala (67' for Segovia)—C+: Ayala came on and ensured Miami's rhythm wasn't disrupted during the final 23 minutes.
SUB: Facundo Mura (67' for Reguilón)—C: Mura completed a composed 26 passes after entering the fray in the 68th minute and brought some much-needed stability to the flank that Reguilón had struggled to manage.
SUB: Mateo Silvetti (73' for Messi)—A+: Replacing Messi is never a straightforward task, but Silvetti rose to the occasion admirably. He played a pivotal role in both the winning goal and the insurance strike, earning an official assist on De Paul's counterattacking 6–4 goal.
Subs not used: Rocco Ríos Novo (GK), Maxi Falcón, Noah Allen, Alex Shaw, David Ruíz
One Thing We Can't Ignore: The Messi Injury
Leagues across the globe continued their schedules this weekend, and MLS can hardly be faulted for doing the same, even as it prepares to send a record number of players to a World Cup on home soil this summer.
For interim head coach Guillermo Hoyos, however, questions linger. Miami naturally wants to win every match, and Messi undoubtedly wants to be on the pitch as much as possible — yet this was a game against the league's worst side, one that Miami could, technically, have afforded to drop. What makes it so puzzling is the decision to keep Messi on the field. Why expose a player like that in a game like this? Miami could likely have rotated and still picked up three points — and even if they hadn't, the rest of the season and a top MLS Cup playoff seed would still have been within reach.
Messi and his teammates are fiercely competitive — it's what has driven them to the heights they've reached. But at 38, with a well-documented injury history, the risk management seems questionable. At this stage, what's done is done, and fans of Argentina and the sport worldwide are left anxiously waiting for news.
What's Next For Inter Miami?
The World Cup! A number of Inter Miami's key players are expected to be World Cup-bound, with goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair in line to start for co-host Canada — a squad set to be announced on Friday. Argentina's Messi and De Paul, along with Mexico's Berterame, are also among those expected to feature on the global stage.
Inter Miami will return to MLS action on July 22 when they host the Chicago Fire.