Lionel Messi’s Brace Propels Inter Miami into Leagues Cup Final—But Can They Claim the Trophy?

The 2025 Leagues Cup is heating up as we inch closer to crowning this year’s champion. This Wednesday, the tension peaks with the last semifinal showdown on Florida soil, where Inter Miami locks horns with Orlando City. And oh, what a spectacle it’s been—none other than Lionel Messi has stepped onto the pitch and wowed the crowd with two crucial goals. The Herons faced an uphill battle after conceding a late first-half goal, but the drama was just beginning. With the clock ticking and stakes soaring, Inter Miami’s resilience was put to the test—and Messi? He delivered when it counted most, turning the tide and pushing his team within reach of the final. For fans craving the nitty-gritty of every twist and heart-stopping moment, this clash is quintessential Leagues Cup drama. LEARN MORE .

The 2025 Leagues Cup is reaching its final stages, and on Wednesday, the two finalists will be decided. In Florida, Inter Miami and Orlando City are playing one of the semifinals—and there, Lionel Messi two goals.

Things looked tough for the Herons. They had fallen behind in the final minutes of the first half when Marco Pasalic took advantage of a mistake by Maximiliano Falcon and scored the opener with a powerful left-footed strike that left goalkeeper Oscar Ustari with no chance.

After the break, Javier Mascherano’s side took on the responsibility of attacking to find the equalizer but struggled to create real danger in the opposing box. In that context, the visitors nearly extended their lead with a chance that led to a penalty shout for a foul on Angulo inside the box. However, neither the referee nor VAR saw enough to award it.

Messi saves Inter Miami

Unlike the earlier play involving Orlando City’s attack, minutes later referee Walter Enrique Lopez Ramos did see a foul inside the box on a play where Tadeo Allende attempted a header.

That gave Inter Miami the chance to equalize with just 13 minutes left in the match. Lionel Messi stepped up to take the high-pressure penalty and did not miss: with a powerful shot to the post, he gave goalkeeper Pedro Gallese no chance and leveled the match at 1–1.

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The penalty also led to the sending off of David Brekalo. Those two blows seemed to unravel Orlando City, who in the final minutes couldn’t stop the Herons’ momentum. And Messi was key to that—at the 88th minute, he linked up with Jordi Alba and scored a beautiful goal with his left foot. In stoppage time, Telasco Segovia netted the third goal.

When and where will the Leagues Cup final be played?

With their spot in the 2025 Leagues Cup final secured, Inter Miami now await their opponent. On Wednesday at Dignity Health Sports Park, LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders will face off for a place in the decisive match.

The Leagues Cup final, along with the third-place match, will be played on Sunday, August 31. However, the venue has yet to be confirmed. That’s because LA Galaxy, as the reigning MLS champions, have home-field priority throughout the tournament. If they reach the final, the match will be held at Dignity Health Sports Park. But if Seattle Sounders win the semifinal, the decisive game will take place at Lumen Field.

Messi’s words after the victory over Orlando City

After being named MVP of the semifinal, Lionel Messi gave an interview to Apple TV, explaining the effort it took for him to be ready for Wednesday’s match. “Since I came back against Galaxy, I’ve felt some discomfort, but today I wanted to be here because of how important the game was and how tough the opponent is—they had beaten us twice this year,” Leo admitted.

About his performance in the match, the Argentine superstar was honest: “In the first half, I was still a bit afraid,” he said. “But in the second half, I loosened up a bit more, and luckily, we were able to win.”