‘Impossible to stop him’: Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi delivers a goal and a win in Baltimore

BALTIMORE — The rainbow of jerseys told the story before kickoff. Pink Inter Miami shirts blended with Barcelona’s blue-and-garnet, PSG’s tricolor, and Argentina’s sky-blue-and-white stripes, all converging on M&T Bank Stadium for a single reason: Lionel Messi. What was officially a D.C. United home match felt like another stop on the Argentine’s personal world tour, and the 72,026 fans—one of the largest soccer crowds anywhere this weekend—were rewarded with the moment they came to see.

In the 27th minute, Mateo Silvetti threaded a pass behind United’s back line. Messi ghosted in, took one touch to settle, and with his second lifted a delicate chip over onrushing goalkeeper Sean Johnson. The ball floated beneath the bar for the 899th goal of Messi’s career and the decisive strike in Inter Miami’s 2-1 victory.

The stadium rose as one, rival colors forgotten. Teenage boys in pink “Messi 10” jerseys twirled their shirts overhead; grown men in D.C. United black-and-red applauded reluctantly but sincerely. Ten minutes later Messi nearly hit the milestone 900, accelerating past two defenders and curling a left-footed effort inches wide of the far post.

Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano, once Messi’s teammate at Barcelona, shrugged when asked about the perpetual spotlight on the 38-year-old. “We’ve naturalized everything Leo generates,” he said in Spanish. “Full stadiums, more competitive football here—his arrival has been a determining factor.”

D.C. United had moved the match from 20,000-seat Audi Field to the Ravens’ 70,000-seat home precisely for this: a chance to host the spectacle. United coach René Weiler admitted pre-game that containing Messi for 90 minutes is “impossible,” and while his side pressed after halftime, pulling a goal back, they never found an equalizer.

When the final whistle sounded, Messi smiled and jogged toward the tunnel, another chapter of Messi Mania closed, another city left believing the impossible is still within his reach.