Inter Miami’s impressive run of form was abruptly halted on Wednesday night as the Major League Soccer side suffered a heavy 3-0 away defeat to FC Cincinnati marking the end of Lionel Messi’s record-setting goal-scoring streak.

The 38-year-old Argentine legend had been in sensational form, scoring two goals in each of his last five matches for Miami a run that set a new MLS record for consecutive multi-goal games. The streak brought Messi’s season tally to 16 goals and helped push Inter Miami up the Eastern Conference table with four wins and a draw in that span. The last time Messi recorded such a run of braces was in 2012 during his prolific years at FC Barcelona.

However, at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, the 2022 World Cup winner was effectively neutralised. Miami managed just two shots on target in a match where they were thoroughly outplayed by a relentless Cincinnati side that now sits just one point behind Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia Union in the overall MLS standings.

Cincinnati Dominates from Start to Finish

FC Cincinnati wasted no time asserting dominance as 20-year-old American midfielder Gerardo Valenzuela opened the scoring in the 16th minute, sending the home crowd into raptures. Brazilian attacker Evander doubled the lead shortly after the restart in the 50th minute and completed his brace in the 70th minute, putting the result beyond doubt.

The hosts maintained pressure throughout the game, outpacing and outmuscling a Miami side that looked physically drained after a congested run of fixtures.

“Clearly today we were outplayed from the beginning of the match,” Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano admitted during his post-match comments. “It was very difficult for us to win individual duels. Maybe one of the reasons is that physically we’ve had a very big hustle and bustle, and in the long run, we ended up paying for it.”

Mascherano also confirmed that Messi took a knock during the match, though it was not believed to be serious. “Leo suffered a knock at the end but it ended well,” he said.

The result sees Inter Miami slip to fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 38 points from 20 matches (11 wins, 4 losses, and 5 draws), trailing Philadelphia Union by eight points. Despite having three games in hand on both Philadelphia and Cincinnati, Miami would need maximum points in those matches to stand a chance of catching the frontrunners in the race for the Supporters’ Shield.

“The opponent outplayed us from start to finish,” Mascherano added. “The result and the way they beat us obviously worries us. Now we have to rest and think about the next game.”

That next game will see Miami travel to face the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. The Red Bulls come into the encounter in high spirits after an entertaining 5-3 victory over the New England Revolution, with Cameroon’s Eric Choupo-Moting and Sweden’s Emil Forsberg both scoring twice.

In a significant boost to Miami’s midfield strength, the club is set to welcome Argentine international Rodrigo De Paul from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid.

Sources close to the negotiations confirmed to AFP on Wednesday that Inter Miami has reached an agreement with Atletico for De Paul to join on an initial loan for the remainder of the 2025 season, with a permanent transfer clause reportedly valued at over $12 million.

The 31-year-old is expected to be unveiled before the end of the month and could make his debut on July 30 when Inter Miami begins their Leagues Cup campaign against Mexican side Atlas FC.

De Paul’s arrival is not just a tactical boost, it’s also symbolic. He and Messi formed a formidable partnership in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad and share a close friendship. The reunion in Miami is seen by many as a move that could influence Messi’s future decisions, particularly with his current contract set to expire at the end of 2025.

Inter Miami’s ownership is reportedly eager to retain Messi for the 2026 season when the club’s new state-of-the-art stadium in Miami is scheduled to open, and with the FIFA World Cup set to be hosted in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico that same year.

De Paul will join a Miami side already stacked with international pedigree, including fellow Argentines Lionel Messi, defender Jordi Alba, and midfielders Sergio Busquets and Luis Suárez.

Miami’s evolving squad signals the club’s ambition to remain competitive both domestically and continentally, especially ahead of the Leagues Cup and MLS playoff run.

2026 MLS All-Star Game Heads to Charlotte

Meanwhile, MLS officials have announced that Charlotte, North Carolina will host the 2026 MLS All-Star Game. This year’s edition is scheduled for next Wednesday in Austin, Texas, where the best of MLS will face off against the Liga MX All-Stars in a clash of North American football titans.

For Inter Miami, all eyes are now on recovery, consistency, and the anticipated arrival of De Paul, as the Herons continue their pursuit of silverware in what is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing seasons in club history.