Just minutes away from securing the first ever win at Nu Stadium, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami were targeted by their own fans, signaling there could be trouble in paradise for the Herons.
Holding a 2-0 lead over Portland Timbers with only minutes left on the second half, one would expect Inter Miami fans to be cheerful. However, they had a message for the players, which they sung to them in the form of a popular aggressive chant aimed at them and their families.
As reported by Inter Miami beat reporter Jose Armando, the fan group “La Familia” decided to let Messi and company know of their discomfort with the way they have treated supporters recently in the 2026-27 MLS season.
The fans feel neglected. They remained silent throughout the entire game, but took a more direct approach in the dying minutes, steering away from their staged silent treatment. Messi, who scored his 910th career goal during the 2-0 win, met the chant with a clear gesture, seemingly asking the rhetorical question, “What is the problem with you guys?”
What were fans chanting?
As heard on the game’s broadcast, Inter Miami fans sang to the tune of It’s a Heartache by Bonnie Tyler. In Argentina, the song is popular for being turned into one of the most iconic chants against a team’s own players when results are not going their way.
Though the original lyrics are very aggressive, the Herons’ fans changed them so as not to insult the players. Instead, they sang: “Players, respect your fans and acknowledge your people. It doesn’t cost you anything.” They sang in Spanish, as it has become the main language surrounding the team in South Florida.
De Paul reacts to chants, too
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and where Messi is, Rodrigo De Paul is usually not too far behind. De Paul reacted to the chant as well, pointing at the star above Inter Miami’s badge on his jersey. The universal message behind the gesture was a reminder of what this team has won—the 2025 MLS Cup—and for fans to be grateful.
Messi, Suarez, and De Paul send a message
As if the tension wasn’t clear enough, the trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Rodrigo De Paul decided to raise the stakes and make matters worse. Following the final whistle, the three left the pitch without acknowledging the fans in the main home stand.
Instead, players like Ian Fray, Yannick Bright, and Noah Allen—who are also usually assigned media duties—were the ones who had to face the music, and it was far from a pleasant melody. It was a clear message delivered by the team’s leaders and heard all across Nu Stadium.
Inter Miami had just won its first-ever game in its new home, but the atmosphere inside the stadium felt anything but jubilant. There is trouble brewing in Magic City. Perhaps the 2026 World Cup break can’t come soon enough for Messi and De Paul.
