Inter Miami without Messi misses out on victory and is knocked out of the League Cup

Inter Miami, owned by David Beckham, unexpectedly ended their campaign in the Leagues Cup, a tournament featuring teams from MLS and Mexico's Liga MX.

In the Round of 16, Inter Miami was defeated 3-2 away by the reigning MLS champions, Columbus Crew. The "Herons" were close to success, as they led 2-0 during the match – Matías Rojas scored in the 10th minute, followed by Diego Gómez in the 62nd.

However, the tide turned quickly as Christian Ramirez pulled one back in the 67th minute, and Uruguayan forward Diego Rossi scored twice in the 69th and 80th minutes to complete the comeback.

The legendary Lionel Messi did not play in any of the Leagues Cup matches due to an ankle injury sustained in the 2024 Copa América final. Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba played the full match.

Inter Miami is the current holder of the Leagues Cup, which was the first major trophy in the club's history.