Lionel Messi added yet another historic chapter to his glittering career as he scored a sublime free-kick to hand Inter Miami CF a stunning 2-1 victory over FC Porto in the FIFA Club World Cup, marking the first-ever competitive win for a Major League Soccer (MLS) club against a European team.
Watch Free Kick Goal Below:
The tightly contested match saw Porto take the lead early on through Agheowa in the 8th minute. But Inter Miami struck back after halftime, with Tomás Avilés Segovia netting the equalizer in the 47th minute. Then, as the clock ticked into the 54th minute, up stepped Messi. The Argentine maestro curled in his 68th career free-kick goal—his 56th at club level—to seal a historic win.
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With that moment of brilliance, Messi not only secured three valuable points for Inter Miami in the group stage of the expanded Club World Cup but also reached yet another remarkable personal milestone. The 37-year-old is now the first player in football history to reach 1,250 goal contributions (combined goals and assists), including a staggering 1,001 goal contributions against European opposition.
His record at Inter Miami continues to dazzle:
- 61 games
- 50 goals
- 23 assists
- 2 trophies
- MLS MVP
- Now, a Club World Cup match-winner
Messi was deservedly named Man of the Match, further underlining his continuing dominance on the world stage. The victory is Inter Miami’s first-ever win at the FIFA Club World Cup, and also the first win by an MLS side over a European club in the history of the tournament. It is also the first time since 2012 that a team from the Americas has defeated a European side in the competition.
While some may debate the weight of this victory due to the newly expanded format of the tournament, its symbolic significance cannot be overstated. On a night where no one gave Inter Miami a chance, Messi delivered again—pioneering a path that could redefine the role of MLS clubs in global competitions for years to come.
As the tournament progresses, one thing is certain: when history is written, June 19, 2025, will be remembered as the night the GOAT did it again—and changed the game in America forever.
