Messi's Heated Celebration Toward Cóccaro Ended with a Shirt and an Apology

As reported by Infobae, Lionel Messi’s passionate celebration after Inter Miami’s last-minute 2-1 win over Atlas sparked headlines not only for the dramatic goal but also for his fiery face-off with Matías Cóccaro. The Uruguayan striker revealed that Messi’s reaction stemmed from his attempt to rally his teammates following Atlas’s equalizer. “I told the guys to go for the second goal, and he took it the wrong way,” Cóccaro said.

Messi made his displeasure clear after the winner: “Take that! Go get your second one,” he shouted in Cóccaro’s face. Yet the tension dissolved after the final whistle. “He came to apologize. He hugged me and said he’d send me his jersey. That says a lot about him,” said the Atlas forward, proudly displaying Messi’s number 10 shirt.

The former Huracán player praised Messi’s winning spirit. “He’s the greatest ever, and at 38, he still wants to win everything. I can’t say anything to him,” he admitted. “I’m the same way—I always want to win.” Reflecting on the match, Cóccaro lamented the loss. “We had prepared for penalties. Losing it on the last play hurts a lot. With players like Messi and Suárez, if you don’t finish your chances, they punish you.”