Score Says PSG, But Spotlight Stays on Messi

On paper, it looked like a one-sided affair: Paris Saint-Germain 4, Inter Miami 0.

But when the final whistle blew at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, all eyes were on one man—Lionel Messi.

The scoreboard told one story. The atmosphere told another. From the beginning, it was expected that this match between European giants PSG and the rising MLS team Inter Miami would be heavily tilted in PSG’s favor.

That prediction seemed to come true quickly. PSG took full control in the first half, with João Neves opening the scoring, followed by three more goals that gave the French side a commanding lead.

But the second half was different. This time, the story revolved around Messi.

PSG’s coach Luis Enrique, who led the club to a treble last season, knew the match wasn’t over at halftime. “Playing against players of this level is never easy,” he said after the match. “If someone only looks at the 4–0 score, they’d think it was an easy win. But we had to work really hard in the second half.”

At 38 years old, Messi hasn’t lost his magic. He directed the game like a maestro, showing perfect control, vision, and creativity. His link-up play with long-time friend Luis Suárez and overlapping runs from Jordi Alba gave Inter Miami a spark of life in the second half. Though they didn’t score, they put Europe’s top club on high alert.

“This was an unforgettable moment,” said PSG defender Lucas Beraldo. “I grew up watching Messi. To share the pitch with him felt like a dream.”

Luis Enrique, however, stayed focused on the reality. With wins in the Champions League, Ligue 1, and French Cup, his team is now into the quarterfinals of the FIFA Club World Cup. But he admitted Inter Miami put pressure on them.

“We thought it might be a little easier after the first half,” Enrique said. “But they took advantage of that. You can’t afford to relax against players of this caliber, or you’ll pay for it.”

As PSG marches on, Inter Miami walks away from the defeat with pride. Their new coach, Argentine legend Javier Mascherano, accepted the gap in quality but was proud of his team’s spirit and the second-half performance led by Messi.

In the end, PSG may have won the game, but Messi once again stole the show.