Four Takeaways From Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami Return in Dramatic Columbus Crew Clash

Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul were back in a match for the first time since losing the 2026 World Cup final with Argentina on Saturday night, both taking part in Inter Miami’s MLS regular season clash against Columbus Crew at Miami’s new Nu Stadium.

After a lengthy weather delay, De Paul took to the pitch as part of the starting lineup, while Messi came off the bench. Both had some stellar moments, but were ultimately unable to secure three points, as Columbus forced the Herons to a 2–2 draw, ending Miami’s club-record six-game win streak.

Luis Suárez got things started in the 16th minute with a goal from nearly halfway, perfectly looping a ball over an out-of-position Patrick Schulte between the sticks for Columbus for his seventh goal in four games.

Luis Suarez from long range! 😱

Seven goals in four games from the @InterMiamiCF striker. pic.twitter.com/NFkU26vjDJ
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 2, 2026

Soon after, Columbus forward Dániel Gazdag sent in a cross, which deflected off Casemiro and into Miami’s goal for the Herons’ second own goal in three games, leveling the score in the 34th minute.

Before halftime, MLS All-Star Yannick Bright linked up for a second time with Suárez, only for the Uruguayan 39-year-old to opt for a cross on the opportunity, finding defender Noah Allen at the back post to make the score 2–1 heading into the break.

While the Herons continued to pressure and Messi stood out with four shots and 25 touches after entering the match in the 53rd minute, Columbus clawed back into the game with an 84th-minute goal from Brais Méndez, eventually securing the draw.

For Miami, it means sitting second behind Nashville SC for the top of the Eastern Conference and Supporters’ Shield.

Here are Sports Illustrated’s four takeaways from the draw and Messi’s return.

Suárez is on Fire

Less than six months out from his 40th birthday, Luis Suárez is in contention for the MLS Golden Boot, now with 10 goals on the season, trailing an honor currently held by New York City FC’s Nicolás Fernández Mercau and FC Dallas’s Petar Musa with 13 goals.

Suárez’s goalscoring ability has never been questioned, even in his colder spells with Inter Miami. Still, the veteran attacker has been able to find a new dynamic element to his game, and on Saturday, linked up perfectly with Bright and De Paul, who was in a more advanced role.

His goal came from stellar vision to spot Schulte off his line and ageless technique, but it was far from his only opportunity. He linked up with Bright in the lead-up to Allen’s goal, and ended the night credited with three chances created and two shots on target in another impressive performance.

The big question for Suárez now will be durability. There isn’t much striking depth, especially with Germán Berterame recovering from a hospital stay in Montreal last weekend, and with the match congestion with seven games remaining in August, there will be real questions about how Guillermo Hoyos plans to use the striker.

Casemiro Unlocks Rodrigo De Paul

Playing in his first game in front of the home fans, Casemiro had a quiet night in deeper midfield for the Herons. Yet his most significant impact was that his positioning allowed Rodrigo De Paul to get creep up the pitch and dovetail with the forwards more effectively.

Shifting to the right side of midfield, De Paul created several opportunities for starting winger Dániel Pintér before further emphasizing his impact when Messi entered the game midway through the second half.

By allowing De Paul more freedom to get forward, Miami became even more threatening in transition. At the same time, Casemiro has appeared comfortable defending against transitions in MLS and can orchestrate the midfield from a deeper role, similar to what Sergio Busquets did on Miami’s 2025 MLS Cup-winning roster.

How Messi Fared in Return

Lionel Messi was buzzing in a rare appearance off the bench. | Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

After a demanding World Cup in terms of a long run, travel and scoring eight goals in emotionally taxing games, Messi took time off to head back to Argentina to rest and recover. Coming in off the bench, it looked like those recuperation days did him plenty of good, as he played energetically and with immense creativity, despite not hitting the back of the net.

Linking up with Suárez and De Paul, Messi took four shots to lead the game and had five touches in the opposition’s penalty area, also a game-high amongst all players.

Messi is back after leading Argentina to its second-straight World Cup Final appearance. 👏 pic.twitter.com/F91Bo3BC4v
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 2, 2026

There was a noted shift in Miami’s tactical setup when Messi stepped onto the pitch. It saw De Paul lay off into a more defensive role alongside Casemiro, as the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner rarely puts in any defensive effort. Still, it proved enough for him to get into scoring positions that on most occasions, he finishes.

Hoyos will have to navigate the best way to have Messi, Suárez, De Paul and Casemiro all on the pitch at the same time, while also fitting in Bright somehow, but that is undoubtedly a challenge any tactician would be pleased to tackle.

Are Own Goals and Fans a Problem?

Inter Miami, Columbus Crew — The stands were worryingly empty for Inter Miami’s draw with Columbus. | Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

Inter Miami have two own goals in the last three games. Thanks to the immense talent across the roster, and Suárez’s impeccable form, they haven’t been heavily impacted, but it is a worrying trend for a team that has never been known as a stout defensive outfit.

While Casemiro’s unlucky clearance wasn’t as glaring as Rocco Ríos Novo’s blunder against Chicago Fire FC, it was far from the type of moment fans would expect from a marquee talent.

A goal is a goal 🤩 pic.twitter.com/0DZyLQwtIp
— The Crew (@ColumbusCrew) August 2, 2026

Fortunately for Casemiro, there wasn’t a packed crowd in the stadium to experience that heartbreak—as the stands appeared sparse, well below the listed capacity of 26,700. Is there fatigue of the stars? Has the level of domination not been there? There are plenty of questions for Miami to answer when it comes to attracting in-person interest, especially after the players and diehard supporters became enthralled in an unfortunate spat earlier in the season.

As a result, Miami now sit second in MLS behind Nashville SC, but turn their attention to the Leagues Cup, a tournament they won in 2023 in the first weeks after signing Messi as a free agent.

READ THE LATEST MLS NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FC

Add us as a preferred source on Google