In the pre-season momentum match, Inter Miami won against Club America with a score of 3-2 after a penalty shootout (drawn 2-2 in the main match), on January 19. Messi, after scoring the equalizer at 1-1 in the 34th minute, made a surprise move towards the stands where Mexican fans held up three fingers to make the “3-0” sign, implying that he and the team Argentina has won the World Cup 3 times, while the Mexican team is only 0. This 37-year-old player then turned around and pointed at the shirt with Messi’s name on it, to remind the opposing fans to remember who they are.
Messi starts 2025 with joy, but is also ready to respond to opponents if provoked
Messi’s actions caused a storm, especially with Mexican fans becoming even more angry. A former Mexican player, Adolfo Bautista, criticized Messi for acting “unprofessional” and “uncultured”, because a match at the club level focused on the pain of this country’s team at tournaments. World Cup is completely wrong.
The incident became tense, causing during the press conference to prepare for Inter Miami Club’s next tour on January 21, coach Javier Mascherano was asked by the media to explain and give his opinion on whether or not he supported his actions. Messi’s moves.
According to coach Javier Mascherano: “We always knew that Mexicans were often hostile to us, Argentines, for a long time. When I was playing for the club and the team, I also often faced this hostility.
I think that up to now, Mexican fans are still very painful because of the defeat in the World Cup (2022, losing to Argentina with a score of 0-2 and being eliminated early in the group stage). This wound has not yet healed. Therefore, they booed Messi and were responded accordingly. In my opinion, Messi’s response is in the best way, because it is only related to sports, without any disrespect like unjust accusations.”

Coach Javier Mascherano had a smooth Inter Miami debut
Meanwhile, regarding the team of Inter Miami Club before the new season, coach Javier Mascherano said: “Players who have just joined such as Telasco Segovia, Gonzalo Lujan and Tadeo Allende cannot officially train yet, because they are still waiting for a work visa in the US. For the rest, we are still preparing for the next match schedule.”
Messi and his teammates, after the win over Club America, are preparing to go on a trip to Peru to meet Club Universitario at 8:00 a.m. on January 30. After that, they went to Panama and Honduras, before returning to Florida to meet Orlando City SC on February 15 to end pre-season training, preparing to enter the official matches at the CONCACAF Champions Cup against Sporting Kansas City on February 19.