The roar of the lion: Messi loses his temper in Los Angeles
MLS 2026 started with fire. And not exactly the one with the goal. Inter Miami, the defending champion, crashed into a wall called Los Angeles FC and was thrashed 3-0. But the final result almost took a backseat.
What everyone is talking about is Lionel Messi’s explosive reaction to the final whistle. The star, who played the 90 minutes overcoming discomfort, could not contain his frustration.
An ESPN video captured it all: as soon as the match ended, Messi walked determinedly towards the referees’ locker room, with his eyes alight.
The fury was palpable. Annoyed by the development of the game and some decisions by the Canadian main judge, Pierre Luc Laziere, the ’10’ went straight to looking for explanations.
Suárez to the rescue: the containment of a friend
That’s where Luis Suárez entered the scene. The Uruguayan, quick as lightning, grabbed him by the arm and stopped him in his tracks. Calmly but firmly, he redirected him towards his team’s locker room.
It was a key play out of the field. Suárez prevented an exchange of words from escalating to something more serious. Although he managed to get him out of the area, Messi’s expression as he left made his deep displeasure clear.
The clip instantly went viral. Social networks burned with thousands of comments. Many fans understood his anger:
“I love seeing him angry. He doesn’t even like losing balls. Come on Lionel”
“I saw the game and the referee should be sanctioned because they fouled Messi a lot and he didn’t score”
This rare image of Messi shows another side of the winner: rage at defeat and the feeling of injustice. Under the leadership of Javier Mascherano, Inter Miami has a lot to adjust.
But one thing is clear: even on a bad day, Messi shows that that competitive passion is still intact. Now it’s time to raise your head and focus on what’s coming.
