L. Messi

Luis Suarez scored his first goal of the Major League Soccer season but Lionel Messi failed to get on the scoresheet as champions Inter Miami struck late to beat Real Salt Lake 2-0 on Wednesday. Fans who had paid eye-watering ticket prices averaging more than $450 to see Messi play his first match in Salt […] The post Suarez off mark but Messi fires blanks as Miami beat Salt Lake appeared first on Soccer America.

The World Cup is defined by memorable moments. Counting down to the top 100 of all-time.

Real Salt Lake host Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, with Lionel Messi as the main attraction. Lionel Messi is, as usual, the center of attention heading into every Inter Miami match. The Argentine forward will start this Wednesday night at America First Field in Sandy, Utah, on Matchday 9 of Major League Soccer. There, the Herons will visit Real Salt Lake looking for their second consecutive victory. Inter Miami are coming off a valuable win over Colorado Rapids last Saturday, thanks to a Messi brace, which helped them bounce back following the abrupt resignation of coach Javier Mascherano and the appointment of his — at least for now — interim replacement, Guillermo Hoyos. With that result, the Herons now sit second in the Eastern Conference standings with 15 points, four behind leaders Nashville SC. Their opponents on Wednesday have performed even better so far, collecting 16 points despite having played one fewer match. However, the stronger competitiveness of Western Conference teams at the start of the 2026 MLS season means Real Salt Lake are not yet among the top spots in the standings. They currently sit fifth, five points behind leaders Vancouver Whitecaps and San Jose Earthquakes. Head Coach Guillermo Hoyos of Inter Miami CF talks to his players during a training session. Confirmed lineup for Real Salt Lake The Claret and Cobalt have lost just once this season — a 1-0 defeat to Vancouver in the opener — and have since put together a six-match unbeaten run, with five wins and one draw. That form leads coach Pablo Mastroeni to stick with most of his lineup. Real Salt Lake’s confirmed XI: Rafael Cabral; Zavler Gozo, DeAndre Yedlin, Justen Glad, Lukas Engel, Alexandros Katranis; Noel Caliskan, Stijn Spierings; Diego Luna, Sergi Solans, Morgan Guilavogui. Confirmed lineup for Inter Miami While the Herons are coming off a win over Colorado Rapids, their recent performances have not been entirely convincing. That, combined with several absences due to injuries and suspensions, forced Guillermo Hoyos to field a significantly different lineup. Inter Miami’s confirmed XI: Dayne St. Clair; Facundo Mura, Gonzalo Lujan, Maximiliano Falcon, Micael, Noah Allen; Rodrigo De Paul; Tadeo Allende, Lionel Messi, Telasco Segovia; German Berterame.

Guillermo Ochoa shares with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo the chance to become the first player to appear in six World Cups, but he could be left out of Mexico’s roster. With just 50 days to go until the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, countless storylines are emerging around the tournament. One of them centers on the real possibility that a player could feature in six editions of the competition for the first time, with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo leading the way. Guillermo Ochoa could reach that mark as well, but his place with Mexico is far from guaranteed. After being out of favor for nearly a year under coach Javier Aguirre, Ochoa returned during the March international break, when he served as the third-choice goalkeeper in matches against Portugal and Belgium, behind Raul Rangel and Carlos Acevedo. However, another player appears to be pushing for that spot. “Xolos de Tijuana goalkeeper Antonio Rodriguez could be one of the ‘new faces’ on the national team list ahead of the World Cup,” Record reported this week. “‘El Vasco’ has always had him in mind,” the report added, referring to Aguirre’s plans. “Javier has held talks with Antonio,” a member of Mexico’s staff told Record, while stopping short of confirming that the Xolos goalkeeper has secured a place in the 26-man roster. “Antonio is a goalkeeper with strong numbers and the level to be here, but Javier has the final say.” Mexico head coach Javier Aguirre. Rangel and Acevedo are Mexico’s top goalkeepers With less than two months until Mexico open their 2026 World Cup campaign against South Africa, it appears clear that Raul Rangel will be the national team’s starting goalkeeper. The Chivas player has started seven of the team’s last eight matches, while continuing to deliver solid performances at club level. Santos Laguna captain Carlos Acevedo is the second option, having remained a consistent call-up in recent months. That leaves just one spot available for a goalkeeper in the 26-man roster set to compete this summer in North America. The battle for Mexico’s third goalkeeper spot In the race for Mexico’s third goalkeeper role, Ochoa holds the advantage of vast international experience, having appeared in five consecutive World Cups since Germany 2006. On the other hand, his career is nearing its final stage, and he no longer holds the same club-level prominence he once did—currently playing for AEL Limassol in Cyprus. Antonio Rodriguez’s case is the opposite. He is enjoying an outstanding run with Tijuana, playing a key role for the club in Liga MX. However, his international experience is minimal: he has made just two appearances for Mexico, the most recent in December 2023. Messi, Ronaldo, and Ochoa chase sixth World Cup Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi appear on track to feature in the 2026 World Cup with Portugal and Argentina, respectively. That would allow them to become the first players in history to compete in six editions of the tournament. Germany 2006 was their first appearance, followed by South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, and Qatar 2022. Guillermo Ochoa followed that same path with Mexico, but the goalkeeper’s outlook is far less certain heading into North America 2026.

Landon Donovan and Tim Howard talk about coaching Lionel Messi after another coaching change at Inter Miami. @Walmart Unfiltered Soccer 👉 https://unfilteredsoccer.com/ Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/unfilteredsoccer/ Twitter/X 👉 https://twitter.com/unfilteredsoccr TikTok 👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@unfilteredsoccer Facebook 👉 https://www.facebook.com/UnfilteredSoccer/ OTHER PODCASTS YOU MAY LIKE Triple Option - http://tripleoptionshow.com Throwbacks - http://ThrowbacksShow.com Post Moves - http://PostMovesShow.com Cousins - http://vinceandtmac.com

Lionel Messi’s arrival in Utah for tonight’s clash between Real Salt Lake and Inter Miami has sent ticket prices soaring, making it the most expensive game of the 2026 MLS season to date. Lionel Messi has been a symbol of growth for Major League Soccer since his arrival, while also providing a golden opportunity for rival franchises to capitalize on the attention he generates wherever Inter Miami travels. As the latest proof of the Messi effect, the upcoming visit to Real Salt Lake has become the most expensive ticket on the 2026 MLS calendar. Inter Miami are set to travel to Utah for their ninth game of the 2026 MLS season, the second under new head coach Guillermo Hoyos following Javier Mascherano’s dismissal. With America First Field offering just 21,000 seats, the limited availability combined with the draw of Messi’s presence has sent ticket prices soaring. According to Miami Herald‘s Michelle Kaufman, citing data from TickPick, the average purchase price for a ticket to the Real Salt Lake vs. Inter Miami match sits at $468. The cheapest available ticket is listed at $419, nearly 14 times the price of Real Salt Lake’s upcoming home game against the Portland Timbers, which can be had for as little as $28. Beyond being the most expensive MLS game of the 2026 season, the match will also set a new record for the priciest ticket in Real Salt Lake’s history at home. The previous benchmark dated back to 2017, when Manchester United visited for a friendly and secured a 2-1 win, with the average ticket price for that occasion coming in at $148. Lionel Messi #10 and Rodrigo De Paul #7 of Inter Miami CF. Messi has already been at the center of two record-breaking attendance figures this season, first at the LA Memorial Coliseum for the MLS opener against LAFC and then at Empower Field at Mile High against the Colorado Rapids. In Utah, where the stadium’s limited capacity restricts access for fans eager to see him in person, it is the ticket prices rather than the attendance that are making history. Messi’s record vs Real Salt Lake The frenzy surrounding Inter Miami’s visit has been fueled in part by the fact that it will be Messi’s first trip to Utah to face Real Salt Lake in the MLS in nearly three years since his arrival in the league. The Argentine, however, already has a winning record against the Claret and Cobalt. The two sides have met just once, with the Herons claiming a 2-0 victory in the opening game of the 2024 MLS season at Chase Stadium. In that match, Messi set up Robert Taylor for the opening goal in the 39th minute. Heading into Saturday’s rematch, he will be looking to score his first goal against Real Salt Lake while also extending his remarkable run of seven goals in seven MLS matches this season. The connection ➡️ the finish💥 Last time vs. RSL. pic.twitter.com/rGB8o0vgPw — Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) April 21, 2026

Leo could claim the historic record held by the former LA Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes star. Leer

The #10 is on the verge of reaching a new milestone in soccer. Will he achieve it against Real Salt Lake? Leer

If a man wants to know what type of man stands in front of him, he will ask him about the burning issues in the world, such as; USA or China, Xbox or PlayStation, iPhone or Android, Jordan or Lebron. But above all of them would be one unsolvable and most debatable debate that has… The post Argentina and Portugal: The Song of Ice and Fire first appeared on Breaking The Lines.