Messi’s rival coach reveals why he helped Lionel after Inter Miami’s game vs San Jose Earthquakes

On Wednesday night, Inter Miami and San Jose Earthquakes played to a thrilling 3-3 draw in a match full of drama from start to finish—one that either side could have won. However, one of the most talked-about moments came after the final whistle, when Lionel Messi’s frustration earned him a yellow card, and it could have escalated further if not for the intervention of San Jose’s coach, Bruce Arena.

Messi ended the match visibly upset with referee Joe Dickerson over a play in the final minute, where the Argentine forward believed he was fouled at the edge of the box. No call was made, and moments later, the final whistle blew. Messi didn’t hold back his anger, gesturing and voicing his frustration toward the referee.

Dickerson issued a yellow card for Messi’s intense protests, but that didn’t stop the forward, who continued arguing despite the warning. At that moment of peak tension, Arena unexpectedly stepped in, calming Messi down and guiding him away from the situation.

“That’s universal language when you’re talking about referees,” said Arena during the postgame press conference. “He was obviously not happy and I wanted to make sure, really, that he wasn’t going to get a red card.”

Bruce Arena, Head Coach of the San Jose Earthquakes, Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF and Beau Leroux #34 of the San Jose Earthquakes walk out the pitch

The coach went on to explain: “I just tried to move him out of the way, because for him to get a red card at the end of the game would’ve been ridiculous. I wanted to make sure to get him out of there so he’s ready to play the next game for Miami.”

see also

Lionel Messi returns: Inter Miami star headlines Argentina’s squad for 2026 World Cup Qualifiers vs Chile and Colombia

What’s next for Inter Miami?

The 3-3 draw against San Jose Earthquakes only deepened Inter Miami’s struggles during this stretch of the season. Across Major League Soccer and the Concacaf Champions Cup, they’ve won just one of their last six matches. That poor run led to their elimination from the continental tournament and a slide down the standings in the Eastern Conference of MLS.

Given this scenario, Javier Mascherano’s squad faces a major test this coming weekend: a clash with in-state rivals Orlando City at Chase Stadium on Sunday. It could be a perfect opportunity to bounce back and regain ground in the league—or another tough blow to their ambitions.

Bad news for Inter Miami

One of the notable storylines from the game against San Jose Earthquakes was the debut of Baltasar Rodriguez with Inter Miami. The young Argentine midfielder joined the club in April but had been sidelined due to injury and was finally able to make his first appearance. He entered at the start of the second half in place of Benjamin Cremaschi and made a promising impression, even assisting Tadeo Allende on the team’s third goal.

However, just 18 minutes after coming on, Rodriguez suffered a muscle injury that forced him to be substituted by Allen Obando. TV cameras captured the emotional moment as Baltasar left the field in tears, clearly devastated by another setback that once again sidelines him.