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Imago

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Imago

Lionel Messi has done it. His magical run after winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup continues as he lifted the Leagues Cup trophy at Geodis Park this Saturday. The 2-Time MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, was also in attendance to witness the match but was not there to support Messi. Giannis was rooting for Messi’s opponents Nashville SC as he holds a minority stake in the $500 million MLS club.

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Even though he was rooting for Nashville, Giannis could not help but fanboy over Messi in the pregame interview.

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Giannis was rooting against Lionel Messi

Messi is one of the Greatest to ever play the game, and many consider him the GOAT of soccer. He finally lifted the long-awaited FIFA World Cup trophy in 2022 and took his talents to South Beach to spend the latter stages of his career playing in the USA. Before the final match, Messi had already scored 9 goals in his first 6 matches with Inter Miami and wanted to end his debut season by lifting the Leagues Cup trophy on August 19.

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While the world wanted to watch Messi win his first title in MLS, Giannis wanted Messi’s scoring streak to end. The Greek Freak tried hard to play mind games with Messi before the match even started by doing Ronaldo’s ‘SIU’ celebration after scoring a long-range goal. But even he could not hide his fandom for Messi saying, “Having Lionel Messi playing against us, this is probably the first time in my life rooting against him.”

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The Milwaukee Bucks star is a fan of the Argentinian maestro and would have rooted for him if he was facing a different opponent.

Messi continues his magical run in MLS

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With all eyes on him, Messi delivered on the big stage by scoring the opening goal in the 23rd minute, giving Inter Miami a 1-0 lead over Nashville. Nashville SC came back determined in the second half and leveled the score with Fafa Picault’s goal in the 57th minute. With the score tied at Full Time, the match moved on to penalties where Messi’s fate was decided by a grueling shootout. The penalty shootout ended with a 10-9 score in favor of Inter Miami and Lionel Messi.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo and his team’s title dreams were shattered by Lionel Messi and Co. as the night ended with Messi lifting the Leagues Cup trophy. It will be a bittersweet pill to swallow for Giannis, as he will be disappointed with his team’s loss but will be content in knowing that he lost to one of the Greatest Players of All Time.

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Rohan Bhaunt

3,045 Articles

Rohan Singh Bhaunt brings over a decade of basketball experience to his role as Senior NBA Writer at EssentiallySports. A former point guard and video educator with a 62K-strong YouTube following, Rohan channels his high basketball IQ into detailed play-by-play analysis. His background helps demystify complex strategies, blending a player’s lens with sharp editorial clarity. He continues to foster a community of active players through practical breakdowns and easy-to-adopt playing tips.

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Bilal Handoo

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