Lionel Messi and Inter Miami's quest for the MLS Cup came to a shocking end on Saturday night, as Atlanta United delivered a stunning 3-2 upset in the first round of the playoffs, sending the top-seeded team home earlier than anyone expected.
Jamal Thiare scored twice, and Bartosz Slisz's header in the 76th minute secured the win for Atlanta, who now advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Messi, the world's most decorated player, tied the match 2-2 in the 65th minute with an unexpected header, but two late free kicks hit the wall of Atlanta defenders, and Inter Miami couldn't find a way back into the game. Goalkeeper Brad Guzan was instrumental for Atlanta, making several crucial saves to preserve the lead.
Atlanta, the ninth seed, will now face No. 4 Orlando City in the Eastern Conference semifinal, while New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls square off in the other East semifinal. The playoff landscape has been upended, with higher seeds like No. 2 Columbus and No. 3 Cincinnati already eliminated.
Inter Miami, who had a record-breaking regular season, claimed the Supporters' Shield and earned a spot in next year's Club World Cup. However, their early playoff exit will be remembered as a massive failure, especially given the team's significant investment.
Messi's total compensation of over $20 million exceeded Atlanta's entire payroll by $5 million, but it wasn't enough to propel Inter Miami beyond the first round.
Atlanta's victory was no fluke — they defeated Inter Miami three times this season, all with Messi in the lineup.
A quick five-minute, three-goal stretch in the first half set the tone, with Thiare scoring twice to erase Miami's early 1-0 lead, courtesy of Diego Gómez. Despite Messi's second-half heroics, Atlanta held firm and completed one of the biggest upsets in MLS playoff history.
