![\"Inter](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/MIA_10_Inter_Miami_vs_San_Luis_MJO.JPG\" "\\"Inter")
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Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) celebrates with midfielder Yannick Bright (42) and forward D\u00e1niel Pint\u00e9r (56) after scoring a goal against Atl\u00e9tico San Luis in the first half of their Leagues Cup 2026 soccer match at Nu Stadium on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, in Miami, Fla.<\/p>\n
Photo by Matias J. Ocner<\/p>\n
mocner@miamiherald.com<\/p>\n
Lionel Messi returned to the Inter Miami starting lineup Wednesday night for the first time since leaving the World Cup Final in tears after Argentina\u2019s loss to Spain.<\/p>\n
Seventeen days have passed since that emotional match and after a 10-day vacation and a shift off the bench against the Columbus Crew over the weekend, Messi took the reins and started chasing another trophy as Inter Miami won its Leagues Cup opener 4-2 against Mexican club San Luis at Nu Stadium.<\/p>\n
The captain delivered, scoring a first-half brace and adding an assist as Miami took a 4-1 halftime lead in a game that was interrupted by a weather delay in the 68th minute.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe keeps a really, really high standard; you expect nothing less from a player who has achieved everything in his career,\u201d Miami defender Ian Fray said of Messi. \u201cHe keeps everyone to a really high standard and that\u2019s the biggest thing he does.\u201d<\/p>\n
Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos said of Messi: \u201cIf he were a painter, he would be Picasso.\u201d<\/p>\n
Messi made an impact early, scoring an equalizer in the 11th minute on a volley off a long cross from Noah Allen after Inter Miami had fallen behind following a sluggish start. Miami allowed San Luis to dominate possession in the opening minutes, which led to a David Rodriguez goal off a close-range header at the three-minute mark.<\/p>\n
Daniel Pinter appeared to score the go-ahead goal for Miami in the 23rd minute after settling the ball with his chest and shooting from a tough angle, but the goal was nullified after a VAR review ruled offside. The home crowd groaned, but was celebrating again a few minutes later when Telasco Segovia scored from in front of the goal with a perfectly-placed assist by Allen to give Miami a 2-1 lead.<\/p>\n
![\"Inter](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/MIA_17_Inter_Miami_vs_San_Luis_MJO.JPG\" "\\"MIA_17_Inter_Miami_vs_San_Luis_MJO.JPG\\"")
Inter Miami midfielder Telasco Segovia (8) celebrates with defender Noah Allen (32) after scoring a goal against Atl\u00e9tico San Luis in the first half of their Leagues Cup 2026 soccer match at Nu Stadium on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, in Miami, Fla. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n
Messi made it 3-1 shortly before halftime after Allen, once again, showed he learned from Jordi Alba how to deliver the ball to Messi from the left wing-back position. Allen, Yannick Bright and Messi combined for a spectacular goal that ejected the fans from their seats.<\/p>\n
\u201c[Allen] looked like Jordi out there, but he\u2019s his own player, he does it all the time in practice and it\u2019s amazing he got three assists, but we see it all the time,\u201d Fray said. \u201cNoah\u2019s a really good player.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hoyos also praised Allen for the three assists, saying he got into spaces well and got deep into the San Luis area. He pointed out that Messi\u2019s first goal was a result of the Argentine legend\u2019s finishing ability as much as Allen\u2019s cross, although the coach said he did not want to take any credit away from Allen for the pass.<\/p>\n
And the goals kept coming for Miami. Seven minutes into first-half added time, center back Micael widened Miami\u2019s lead to 4-1 on a header from the center of the box on a cross from a Messi corner kick.<\/p>\n
![\"Inter](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/MIA_19_Inter_Miami_vs_San_Luis_MJO.JPG\" "\\"MIA_19_Inter_Miami_vs_San_Luis_MJO.JPG\\"")
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) scores a goal against Atl\u00e9tico San Luis in the first half of their Leagues Cup 2026 soccer match at Nu Stadium on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, in Miami, Fla. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n
But San Luis was not ready to fold. Six minutes into the second half, an unmarked Rafael Llorente launched a curling shot from outside the box that landed in the top right corner to close the gap to 4-2.<\/p>\n
Llorente was asked after the game how it felt to have his team take an early lead and then see Messi turn the game around with a pair of goals.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn one hand, frustrating, but on the other hand, we all have admiration for him because, after all, he is the best of all time,\u201d Llorente said. \u201cWith two touches of the ball, he creates two goals, and that was the difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hoyos made three changes midway through the second half. David Ruiz went in for Rodrigo De Paul. Facundo Mura replaced Caicedo and Mateo Silvetti went in for Pinter. Silvetti left later in the game with a dislocated shoulder. Hoyos said Silvetti was in pain, but he hopes to have him back in action soon.<\/p>\n
Miami is one of 18 MLS teams competing against 18 teams from Mexico\u2019s Liga MX in the Leagues Cup, which runs through early September. The three-game opening stage takes place over the next eight days. After Wednesday\u2019s game, Miami faces Monterrey on Saturday and Leon on Aug. 12.<\/p>\n
All three matches are at Nu Stadium.<\/p>\n
Inter Miami, which won the tournament in 2023 shortly after Messi\u2019s arrival, reached the final again last year but was trounced 3-0 by the Seattle Sounders in front of a sellout crowd of 69,314.<\/p>\n
The match ended with a brawl. Luis Suarez was one of the instigators, spit on a Sounders official, and was punished with six-game Leagues Cup suspension, which means the Uruguayan forward is banned from the entire 2026 tournament.<\/p>\n
Suarez\u2019s absence will be felt, as he has been on fire of late with seven goals over the past four games.<\/p>\n
German Berterame was also unavailable Wednesday as he remains on concussion protocol after a hard hit to the head in the road game against Montreal last week.<\/p>\n
Hoyos opted to start Pinter at forward in place of Suarez. The rest of Miami\u2019s starting lineup included goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo, right back Ian Fray, center back Caicedo, center back Micael, left back Noah Allen, midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, midfielder Casemiro, midfielder Telasco Segovia, and midfielder Yannick Bright.<\/p>\n
Inter Miami extended its unbeaten run to eight games. The team won six games in a row and settled for a 2-2 tie against the Crew on Saturday in the return of Messi and Argentine teammate Rodrigo De Paul from their post-World Cup vacation.<\/p>\n
San Luis has lost its last four Leagues Cup openers by a combined score of 16-5. The team is under the direction of new coach Diego Mejia, who took over on May 31 and led the team to a pair of ties and a loss in his first three league games.<\/p>\n
This story was originally published August 5, 2026 at 7:28 PM.<\/p>\n
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