Fort Lauderdale was electric on May 3, 2025, when Lionel Messi reminded everyone why he’s a living legend. Inter Miami, coming off a brutal three-game skid, obliterated the New York Red Bulls 4-1 at Chase Stadium in a Major League Soccer clash that felt like a statement. The Argentine maestro, shaking off a five-match goal drought, didn’t just score—he orchestrated a beatdown that left the Red Bulls scrambling.
Miami was desperate for a spark after crashing out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, where Vancouver Whitecaps handed them a 5-1 aggregate thrashing in the semifinals. The Red Bulls, no pushovers, arrived ready to exploit Miami’s wounds. But Messi had other plans. Early on, the game was a tug-of-war—both sides probing, neither budging. Then Miami’s engine roared to life. A crisp passing sequence in the 58th minute saw Diego Gómez slot home the opener, igniting the crowd. Nine minutes later, Luis Suárez, ever the predator, pounced on a blocked shot to make it 3-0, firing past Red Bulls keeper Carlos Coronel with venom.
The Red Bulls clawed back before halftime. An Omar Valencia corner curled deep, sailing over Miami’s Oscar Ustari and nestling into the far corner. A lifeline for New York, or so they thought. Miami, unfazed, kept their foot on the gas. In the 67th minute, Messi took over. He linked up with Telasco Segovia in a slick one-two, shrugged off defender Noah Eile like a pesky shadow, and rifled a left-footed dagger past Coronel. The stadium erupted. The rout was sealed when a teammate added a fourth, burying any hope of a Red Bulls comeback.
This wasn’t just a win—it was a resurrection for Inter Miami. The victory snapped their losing streak and shoved them within three points of first place in the MLS Eastern Conference, with a game in hand. Messi, at 37, proved he’s still the sun around which this team orbits, his goal and playmaking slicing through New York’s defense like a hot knife. Suárez, Gómez, and Segovia all played their parts, but the night belonged to the man in the No. 10 jersey.
The Red Bulls, to their credit, didn’t roll over. They pressed, they fought, they even drew blood with Valencia’s set-piece. But against a Messi-inspired Miami, it was like bringing a slingshot to a cannon fight. By the final whistle, the scoreline told the story: 4-1, a thrashing that felt even more lopsided.
Inter Miami’s next test comes soon, with a packed MLS schedule looming. For now, though, the pink jerseys bask in a night where everything clicked, and their talisman reminded the league he’s far from done.