Lionel Messi fires back at Cristiano Ronaldo jabs from Vancouver Whitecaps fans after Inter Miami loss

On Thursday night, Inter Miami suffered a tough 2-0 defeat against Vancouver Whitecaps in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals. Lionel Messi was the center of attention, and Canadian fans celebrated the win with mockery directed at the Argentine forward, including references to Cristiano Ronaldo.

After the match, which saw the Whitecaps prevail thanks to goals from Brian White and Sebastian Berhalter, Messi walked off the field visibly frustrated. Rival fans seized the moment to mock him over the loss, even holding up a Portugal national team jersey with the number 7 and Ronaldo‘s name.

The Argentine forward didn’t take kindly to it. Without hiding his anger, he stared directly at the opposing fans for a few seconds before firing back with a clear message. “Careful, there’s still one more game,” Messi warned, referring to the second leg of the semifinals set for next Wednesday at Chase Stadium in Miami.

The Argentine superstar’s warning isn’t empty. The Herons have proven to be strong at home and capable of turning around tough situations. Across all competitions, they remain unbeaten this year at Chase Stadium, with five wins and two draws. In the previous round of the Concacaf Champions Cup, they managed to overturn a 1-0 first-leg loss to Los Angeles FC.

Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF controls the ball whilst under pressure from Andres Cubas of the Vancouver Whitecaps

Messi also clashed with a rival player

Lionel Messi’s frustration had already surfaced earlier in the match. In the first half, he reacted strongly to Andres Cubas, the Argentine-born Paraguayan midfielder who plays for Vancouver, after being fouled by him.

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Initially, Leo said nothing to the opposing player, but after another clash later in the game, the Argentine superstar appeared visibly upset with Cubas, prompting referee Escobar to step in and calm things down.

“He got mad about a foul,” Cubas said after the match when asked about the incident with Messi. “These are heat-of-the-moment things; emotions run high. We all know the kind of player and competitor Messi is—he always wants to be involved—but it ended there. We’re happy with the match we played.”

What’s next for Inter Miami?

Following the 2-0 loss in Canada, Inter Miami returned to Florida to prepare for their next challenge. On Sunday afternoon, they will host Dallas FC for Matchday 10 of Major League Soccer. However, all eyes are on the second leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals against Vancouver Whitecaps, scheduled for next Wednesday, April 30, at Chase Stadium.