Three Takeaways As Lionel Messi’s Brilliance Falls Short for Inter Miami

Inter Miami’s hopes of chasing the Supporters’ Shield this season took a major blow on Saturday night, as MLS-leading Nashville SC scored a stoppage-time tying goal to secure a 2–2 draw and maintain their nine-point lead on the Herons.

While the gap Miami must make up remains the same, the South Florida side now has just nine games to close in and a loss to San Diego FC next week could see the Herons fall as low as fifth in the league table.

Yet, there’s little blame to place on Lionel Messi. The only MLS nominee for the 2026 Ballon d’Or scored his 19th goal of the season with a stunning, curled effort from outside the penalty area, one of his eight shots on the night.

Surridge equalizes in stoppage! 😳

Nashville and Miami searching for a winner late! pic.twitter.com/hkjmF1bHJz
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 13, 2026

As has been the case so often for Miami, though, a lack of help around Messi defined the game, and Nashville’s Sam Surridge scored a brace with goals in the fourth and 91st minutes to ensure a point.

Here, Sports Illustrated dives into Miami’s continued struggles as their recent form dropped to one win in the last seven games.

Berterame’s Struggles and Miami’s Finishing

Germán Berterame (leftt), Luis Suárez (right) — Neither Germán Berterame (left) nor Luis Suárez (right) could finish on Saturday. | Sam Navarro/Getty Images

This night showed just how good Miami could be if Germán Berterame were the striker they hoped for. For their opponents, Surridge showcased himself as the finishing magician and the best outright striker in MLS, making the most of two clear-cut chances on a night Nashville didn’t control.

In contrast, Berterame struggled with three missed shots and one blocked effort, showcasing his inability to make the most of his chances and the hesitancy he showed even when in the right positions to score. With a 14% shooting percentage this season, it leaves plenty to ponder about where Miami could be if they had a player like Surridge in the squad.

While the poor finishing form has largely been a Berterame-focused issue, each of Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and others missed key chances on Saturday, with the Herons hitting the post three times on otherwise clear-cut chances. Those woes dropped their shot-conversion percentage for the season to 40%.

Without big goals in key moments from players other than Messi, the high-stakes games—starting with the Campeones Cup one-game final on Wednesday—will be more challenging down the line.

Messi Loves Nashville, but Is He Miami’s Only Hope?

Lionel Messi, Alex Muyl — Nashville SC have become one of the most common victims of Lionel Messi’s excellence. | Sam Navarro/Getty Images

Messi loves a game against Nashville. In just 14 appearances, he has scored 17 goals—the Tennessee side are the only non-Spanish opponent he has scored more than 10 goals against.

While the domination began in the 2023 Leagues Cup final and has seen Miami post emphatic wins in the MLS Cup playoffs, the rivalry has also seen Nashville slash Miami 4–1 in MLS play earlier this year and knock the Herons out of the Concacaf Champions Cup.

Messi. Left foot. 20 yards out. 🐐

Miami takes the lead on Nashville! pic.twitter.com/DuBJI7gxOz
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 13, 2026

“God gave him this gift,” interim manager Guillermo Hoyos said of Messi’s performance, a trope he has often repeated, instead of critiquing his team’s performance. “He’s a one-of-a-kind player; he’s one of a kind. He cannot be repeated.”

The worrying thing for Miami, though, is that Nashville have proven to be the better team on every occasion this season, and the Herons would likely have to get past them in the playoffs for any hopes of emerging from the Eastern Conference. At this point, one has to wonder whether any of Miami’s other talents have what it takes to step up and secure a victory against the clear-cut best team in the league.

Frustrations Boiling Over

Guillermo Hoyos’ frustrations have spread to the entire team. | Leonardo Fernandez/MLS/Getty Images

There’s lots to be frustrated about for Inter Miami these days. A third-straight draw, and seven of eight games without a win is just one factor, and the added sting of giving up a late tying goal to a team they’re chasing is salt in the wound.

Add to that the fact that Kily González was named the new manager Aug. 27 and still doesn’t have the required U.S. work permits to take on the role. Meanwhile, Hoyos trots the sideline for a struggling team and, understandably, sees the fan backlash grow. After all, this is a club with massive expectations which have fallen short for nearly two months.

While the fans’ frustration is evident, it appears to have affected the players as well. At the tail end of the midweek draw against the Chicago Fire, a fight broke out between Rodrigo De Paul and Robert Lewandowski, with others flying in soon after. A similar scene unfolded in the Quinn Sullivan-Ian Fray altercation in Philadelphia, and in the Alonso Coello altercation in the loss to Toronto FC.

This weekend, new signing and Paraguay World Cup star Matías Galarza earned a yellow card for kicking the ball away after a foul, limiting Miami’s late momentum and letting his team’s approach wander from a composed, defensive effort to see out the result. Soon after, De Paul offered a lackluster effort in tracking back, leading to Surridge’s eventual tying goal.

Frustrations have Inter Miami imploding at the moment, and it will take a string of games to rekindle that swagger. Lucky for them, the schedule presents San Diego FC and D.C. United as the next two opponents, a much easier test than Nashville.

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