Lionel Messi's return to club soccer was supposed to be a welcome distraction. Instead, it's turned into another chapter of worry for the soccer legend.
On Saturday, Messi suited up for Inter Miami CF against Nashville SC—his first match since the passing of his father, Jorge Messi. The emotional weight was visible, but it was a technical failure that has fans truly concerned.
After Nashville took an early lead, Miami earned a penalty kick. Messi stepped up to take it, but his effort was easily saved by the goalkeeper. The rebound was tucked in, but the goal was disallowed due to encroachment. It was a sequence that summed up a frustrating afternoon.
That miss marked the third consecutive failed penalty for Messi across all competitions, following two misses during the FIFA World Cup. The pattern is hard to ignore, and fans are starting to speak out.
“Messi’s deadass missed 3 penalties in a row what the (expletive) wrong with him man?” one fan posted on social media.
“You could tell before he took it that it was not going in. It’s taken root in his head now,” another added.
“Why’s he still taking pens? Especially given his current mental state,” wrote a third.
“Definitely not hating whatsoever… can’t even believe he is playing at a time like this. I really thought he would have retired.”
Messi did manage to provide an assist later in the first half, helping Miami equalize. So he's not completely out of it. But the misses are stacking up, and the context makes it all the more troubling.
In the last month, Messi has endured a brutal World Cup Final defeat to Spain and the loss of his father. He's also admitted he's unsure how much longer he wants to keep playing after his dad's death. Combine that with the penalty struggles, and it's fair to wonder if this is just a rough patch or something deeper.
For now, fans can only hope that Messi finds his footing soon—both on the pitch and in his personal life. The soccer world is watching, and the concern is real.
