Watch Lionel Messi MLS goals as boss calls captain ‘best-ever to play the sport’

Lionel Messi struck from outside the box and curled in a free-kick for his first goals of the 2026 MLS season as Inter Miami earned their first points with a comeback win for their first-ever victory at Orlando City.

Trailing 2-0 at half-time to goals by Marco Pasalic and Martin Ojeda, Miami hit back in spectacular style through Mateo Silvetti’s 49th-minute long-range finish.

Messi fired the Herons level eight minutes later, set up Telasco Segovia to put them ahead five minutes from time and added his second from a dead ball in the 90th minute.

Epic edition of the Florida Classic 🔥

Halftime: @OrlandoCitySC led, 2-0
Fulltime: @InterMiamiCF won, 4-2 pic.twitter.com/DBH90AM7YQ

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 2, 2026

Lionel Messi: Mascherano on why striker ‘looked much better’

“In addition to being what I have said a thousand times – the best ever to play the sport – he’s a leader whose energy is contagious,” Miami manager Javier Mascherano said, having seen his side respond to their 3-0 defeat at LAFC in their opening match of the season.

“But sometimes he needs to be inspired; he needs to see things on the field to start to believe.

Pitchside view of Messi’s free kick. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/vbeHStN1F2

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 2, 2026

“In the second half he looked much better because, when we scored that quick goal, we started to find him in spaces where he feels comfortable.”

Messi featured at Orlando for the first time, having missed both of his side’s previous visits to City during his Miami career.

Here’s the timeline of the game, in which Orlando midfielder Colin Guske also received a second yellow card in the 88th minute for a foul on Messi.

Tactical analysis: Silvetti shines for Miami

Mascherano’s decision to replace full-back Noah Allen with attacking player Silvetti at the break paid off almost instantly.

“I always say that when you have to make a change at half-time, that means you made a mistake in your game plan,” the former Argentina international reflected.

“As a coach, I hate to have to take a player out and expose them. But what makes it a good move is the players and how they respond.”

Florida is pink tonight. 🦩

All love for the traveling fans. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/9NkZD1KwlC

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 2, 2026

Defeat in the Florida derby means Orlando have started the season with consecutive defeats following their 2-1 loss at home to the New York Red Bulls.

“It was a much better version of us today,” said City head coach Oscar Pareja. “Not getting the result in front of our fans and conceding those goals was painful for us.

“But overall… the boys played a good game. There is not much to be disappointed with. In the first half, tactically, the boys did a good job.

“In the second half, we got unorganized – especially in the final third, where Miami were better. We cannot give those spaces. We knew that, and we still conceded them, and then we conceded goals.”

Orlando vs Inter Miami stats

• Orlando beat Miami 3-0 away and 4-1 at home in the 2025 MLS
• Marco Pasalic then gave City a 1-0 lead at Miami in their Leagues Cup semifinal, only for Messi to score twice and Telasco Segovia to seal a 3-1 victory after David Brekalo was sent off for the visitors
• Pasalic scored once in each of his three appearances against Miami last season
• Martin Ojeda has two goals and two assists in six MLS games against Miami, starting four of those
• Griffin Dorsey’s assist for Ojeda’s was the wideman’s first direct goal contribution for City
• Miami had lost three and drawn five of their previous eight visits to Orlando in the MLS
• Overall, they have lost seven, won seven and drawn five editions of the fixture, with a positive goal difference of four
• Messi has eight goals and two assists in his five meetings with Orlando
• Only the LA Galaxy’s Joao Klauss and the New York Red Bulls’ Julian Hall (3 each) have more goals than Messi across the first two games of the season
• Herons midfielder Rodrigo De Paul has had the most touches of any player in this season’s MLS (249)
• Only LAFC’s Denis Bouanga can match Messi’s total of 12 attempts

What’s next for Orlando City and Inter Miami? Fixtures, schedule

Here’s how the clubs’ schedules look, with Orlando next in action at New York City on Saturday, shortly before Miami, who also feature in the Concacaf Champions Cup (CCC) this month, visit DC United.