Video Reveals Lionel Messi’s Crucial Advice Ignored by Inter Miami Goalie in Brutal Leagues Cup Loss

The soccer acumen of Lionel Messi can hardly be something to debate over. The Argentine sensation has often displayed the ability to almost predict where the ball would end up before it even reaches there! Naturally, when you have such a legend on your team, you’d want to make use of his soccer wisdom as much as possible. However, as the Herons’ goalie proved, not everyone is willing to follow the GOAT’s advice.

In the 84th minute of the match between Inter Miami and Seattle Sounders at Sunday’s Leagues Cup final, the hosts were awarded a penalty after winger  Georgi Minoungou was fouled inside the box. Alex Roldan, who assisted on the first goal for Seattle, converted the spotkick and extended the Sounders’ lead by two goals over Miami. However, that could have easily been stopped, as an X post by MC from September 2 shows.

“Lionel Messi told Ustari to go to the left only if he listened,” reads the caption of the post, as Roldan waited to challenge the Herons’ 39-year-old goalie. In the accompanying video, Messi, standing far behind the players clustered around the edge of the box, can be seen signaling Ustari that the Seattle star would try to place the ball on the left-hand side of the net. However, the goalie decided to jump in the other direction, while Alex, like Messi’s prediction, confidently struck the ball to Ustari’s left.

The 2022 World Cup winner was visibly upset by his goalie’s decision to ignore the former’s suggestion and could be seen throwing his hands into the air in frustration. Miami lost the match 3-0 as the Sounders claimed their first-ever Leagues Cup trophy. Messi missed several chances, as did Tadeo Allende, and Inter Miami was left with their heads hanging in front of a sold-out crowd at Lumen Field.

However, despite the lopsided victory, Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer had only praise for Miami and Lionel Messi. “Mascherano is a great coach, and before the match he congratulated me on the team. Beckham waited for us in the locker room to congratulate us—that’s class. Jose Mas (the president) told me we have a good team. These are people who are at the highest level of this sport,” Schmetzer said of how the Herons’ camp extended to him great respect. And yet, even amidst all the mutual respect, it was hard to ignore the fiasco that ensued after the final whistle.

Tension had been brewing in the first half of the Leagues Cup final itself. Rodrigo De Paul and Messi were seen exchanging heated moments with Pepo De La Vega on the pitch, which culminated in a full-scale brawl after the referee whistled the end of the match. Luis Suarez was seen confronting Vega, in which Roldan and Marcelo Weigandt also got entangled. Gene Ramirez, one of Schmetzer’s coaching staff, also rushed in to defuse the situation. However, Suarez was seen allegedly spitting at Ramirez, further escalating the situation.

Miami’s Sergio Busquets landed a punch on Vega, causing the latter to hit the ground. Needless to say, it was pure, unbridled chaos. And yet, even amidst all the commotion, Messi’s signature poise stood out. When Seattle defender Yeimar Gomez requested the Argentine for his jersey, the latter obliged without deliberation. But onward and upward, as they say!

Lionel Messi isn’t one to be bogged down by one loss

The loss left Inter squandering a chance to win yet another silverware with Messi. However, the Ballon d’Or winner knows perfectly well that such setbacks are part and parcel of the game. A couple of days after the damning loss, Leo issued a lofty statement for the 2023 Leagues Cup winners. “We competed all the way to the final, but this time it didn’t happen for us… We’ll take the positives and keep learning as we work toward our goals for this season,” Messi wrote on social media.

Miami will cross paths with the Sounders once again on September 16 in the MLS, before taking on Charlotte on the Saturday before that. However, Messi has bigger things to keep himself occupied with. The former Barcelona star has returned to international duties as Argentina waits to take on Venezuela at the CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers later this week. Brace yourselves, for this could well be the last time we get to see Messi playing a World Cup qualifier match on home soil.

Last week, Leo mentioned that his upcoming match at the Estadio Monumental is expected to be the last time he plays a qualifier match in Buenos Aires. The Herons’ sordid loss is already starting to look pale in comparison, huh?