An afternoon built around Lionel Messi delivered exactly what a record-setting crowd of nearly 45,000 supporters at BMO Field came to see. Moments of genius, flashes of chaos, and a glimpse into a global footballing superstar leading his team to another victory.
Messi scored once and made two assists as Inter Miami defeated Toronto FC 4-2 Saturday in a Major League Soccer (MLS) match that swung wildly between control and collapse.
Rodrigo De Paul opened the scoring with a stunning first-half volley before Luis Suarez, Sergio Reguilon, and Messi himself appeared to put the contest beyond doubt at 4-0.
Yet Toronto, stubborn and desperate amid a miserable run of home form, mounted a furious late rally through substitute Emilio Aristizabal and nearly forced a dramatic finale.
For Miami, though, the day belonged once again to their Argentine icon.
Messi pulls the strings as Miami seize control
As the match started, Inter Miami immediately attempted to impose themselves through their familiar Argentine duo. De Paul blasted ambitious diagonal balls forward while Messi drifted deeper into midfield searching for pockets of space to dictate the tempo.
Toronto initially handled the pressure admirably. Walker Zimmerman produced an important recovery challenge to deny Messi early while Deandre Kerr and Kobe Franklin both tested Miami from distance as the hosts threatened on transitions down the flanks.
Toronto FC lost to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer action in Toronto Saturday, May 9, 2026. Photo: Indrawan Kumala/Total Soccer News
But even on a relatively quiet outing by his impossible standards, Messi repeatedly produced moments that bent the rhythm of the game to his will. The breakthrough for the Herons finally arrived in the 42nd minute, and fittingly, it came through Miami’s Argentine connection.
After Messi stood over a dangerous free-kick, De Paul instead stepped forward to take it. His initial strike cannoned off the wall before the midfielder reacted instantly to strike a sensational volley that bounced in off the post beyond Toronto goalkeeper Luka Gavran.
The hosts nearly responded before halftime, but Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair produced an outstanding diving save to deny Daniel Salloi and preserve Miami’s lead.
Toronto’s rally falls short after Miami masterclass
As the second half began, things turned from being competitive to being ruthless.
Miami should have doubled the lead immediately after the restart when Messi led a two-on-two counterattack before slipping Suarez through, only for the Uruguayan to curl narrowly wide. The warning, however, was brief.
- Photo gallery: Messi’s Inter Miami beat Toronto FC in Major League Soccer
In the 55th minute, Messi carved Toronto open with a simple but devastating pass to Suarez, who calmly finished amid furious protests from the home side after Raheem Edwards had gone down injured in the buildup. Toronto players surrounded the referee, but the goal stood.
The Herons then struck again in the 72nd minute.
A poor first touch from Franklin gifted possession to Suarez, who quickly found Messi in space. The Argentine carried the ball forward before threading a perfectly weighted pass to Reguilon, who finished coolly into the far corner.
Two minutes later came the moment the crowd had waited all afternoon for.
De Paul surged through midfield and slid a precise pass across goal toward Messi, who calmly redirected the ball into the net to make it 4-0.
BMO Field erupted as the fans in the stadium rose to celebrate yet another chapter in Messi’s mesmerizing travelling theatre production.
But as the match headed towards full time, the Reds had other ideas.
Aristizabal climbed off the bench to score twice in eight minutes, first capitalizing on a defensive error before powering home a late header from Franklin’s cross.
Toronto threw bodies forward relentlessly through eight frantic minutes of added time, but Miami finally escaped with a victory that steadied them after last weekend’s chaotic loss.
For Toronto, the defeat extended a worrying seven-match winless run at home across all competitions. For Messi and Inter Miami, though, it was another reminder that even amid the unpredictability, brilliance still travels with them wherever they go.
