Messi's Miami Dreams Shattered as PSG Delivers Crushing 4-0 Blow in Club World Cup Exit

At least Inter Miami CF didn't suffer the most devastating Inter defeat against Paris Saint-Germain.

During Sunday's FIFA Club World Cup round of 16 match, Lionel Messi's Inter Miami was defeated 4–0 by the French giants, a disappointing result, though still superior to Inter Milan's crushing 5–0 defeat to PSG in the UEFA Champions League final. 

Although manager Javier Mascherano's squad began poorly and couldn't mount a serious challenge against PSG, they concluded their Club World Cup journey better than most anticipated, gaining an important benchmark test against one of the globe's elite teams. 

Here are Sports Illustrated's observations from Inter Miami's 4–0 defeat to PSG. 

Poor Opening and First Half Meltdown

Miami discovered their rhythm in the second period, but the opening half witnessed a regression to their early 2025 MLS season struggles, with defensive lapses and positioning errors creating insurmountable damage. 

Though manager Javier Mascherano's squad demonstrated their ability to recover against certain MLS opponents during that period, building any momentum against PSG proved an impossible challenge. 

Despite the defense impressing throughout the group phase, and goalkeeper Oscar Ustari single-handedly earning Miami a draw against Al Ahly, none of these strengths emerged on Sunday, as their own errors eliminated any opportunity for competition. 

Within just six minutes, academy fullback Noah Allen lost his marker at the far post and Miami surrendered their opening goal, a header from João Neves, while Neves's straightforward second strike resulted from another defensive error, this time by Maxi Falcón.

Though Allen departed with what appeared to be a hamstring problem in the 19th minute, the errors persisted, with Tomas Áviles and Falcon creating openings for PSG's third goal, and Sergio Busquets taking excessive time to distribute from the back, ultimately losing possession for the fourth. 

This wasn't a match that PSG dominated through exceptional performance. Rather, it was a devastating defeat for Miami, one that was entirely avoidable, with three goals arriving in the closing six minutes of the first half. 

Messi's Constraints

Lionel Messi has been exceptional for Inter Miami since arriving at the club in 2023. However, against the world's premier club, it's evident he no longer operates at that elite level, despite his teammates failing to enhance his performance. 

The 38-year-old recorded 48 touches throughout the 90 minutes, his second-lowest total in any Inter Miami match where he played 80 or more minutes. Within those touches, there were no significant dribbles, and only one key pass, the most promising of which was wasted by Luis Suárez. 

While Messi delivered spectacular moments for Miami and MLS during the Club World Cup, including his free kick against FC Porto, his influence was completely neutralized by PSG, rendering him almost unnoticeable. 

Unlike several of his Miami colleagues, however, Messi already possesses three Club World Cup trophies, and now returns to MLS to pursue an MLS Cup, among the few honors that remain beyond his reach. 

Mission Accomplished. Revenue Secured. Return to MLS

Capturing the FIFA Club World Cup was always destined to be an enormous challenge for Messi and Miami, particularly given their deteriorating league form, which contrasted sharply with the success that secured them the 2024 Supporters' Shield. 

Nevertheless, Miami gained something that few other MLS clubs experience during mid-summer: High-stakes competition. 

While other teams struggled through summer without key players due to international commitments and transfer speculation, Miami participated in the most significant matches in club history and performed admirably against some of the world's most prestigious teams during the group stage. 

Now, they can channel that same competitive intensity back into MLS competition, where they aim to build upon a recent streak of consecutive victories, and propel themselves up the table before the MLS Cup Playoffs in autumn. 

Simultaneously, they may have additional resources available in the upcoming transfer window, with the $21 million they earned from the Club World Cup. 

Sunday's outcome wasn't ideal, but the Club World Cup represented a triumph, before their return to MLS competition against CF Montréal on July 5.