FOXBOROUGH – Make way for the icon.
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will visit the New England Revolution at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Gillette Stadium.
It’s the team’s second trip to Foxborough in as many years. The Revolution set a single-season fan attendance record with a sellout last April when Miami won soundly 4-1. That Inter team was one of the best in the league and won the MLS Supporters Shield.
This year’s Miami squad ranks sixth in the Eastern Conference with 32 points. New England is 11th with 24 but has allowed the third-fewest goals in the league (23). Inter has 40 goals, the third most in MLS.
Messi is tied for third in MLS with 12 goals.
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Miami is also fresh off a trip to the FIFA Club World Cup knockout stages. Messi is far from Miami’s only star. The club also features some of his former Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
New England is 0-3-1 in its last four games and hasn’t won since May 31. Carles Gil leads the team with seven goals and seven assists.
65th minutes: 2-0 Inter Miami
Tomas Chancalay gets a golden opportunity after an unclean save but can’t guide it into the open net.
62nd minute: 2-0 Inter Miami
Substitutions: Tomas Chancalay replaces Tanner Beason for New England. Miami’s Telasco Segovia comes on for Baltasar Rodriguez, who was on a yellow card.
55th minute: 2-0 Inter Miami
Federico Redondo earns a yellow card with a high challenge. Broadcast is calling for a red.
51st minute: 2-0 Inter Miami
New England’s Leo Campana picks up a yellow card.
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Halftime: 2-0 Inter Miami
If you came here to see Lionel Messi, you’re having a great night. If you’re a Revolution fan, you probably aren’t.
Messi is the first MLS player to have multiple goals in four straight regular season games.
45th minute: 2-0 Inter Miami
Leo Campana gets a clean look for the Revolution but shoots it right at the keeper. Oscar Ustari punches it over for a corner.
38th minute: 2-0 Inter Miami
Sergio Busquets threads a world-class ball to Messi from half field. He runs onto it and finishes with one touch. His second goal.
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34th minute: 1-0 Inter Miami
Miami’s Baltasar Rodriguez shown a yellow card after a hard foul in the back.
Goal: 1-0 Inter Miami, 28th minute
What they’re all here to see. Lionel Messi pounces on a headed ball in the box and calmly slots it into the net.
26th minute: 0-0
Carlos Gil evades the defense for along run and finds a wide open Luca Langoni. Langoni fires it across the face of goal through the penalty box, but there’s no one home, and it goes wide of the net.
25th minute: 0-0
A fan holding a sign that said “Ronaldo is the real GOAT” with a Portugese flag was shown on the jumbotron and soundly booed.
21st minute: 0-0
Alhassan Yusuf rips a lot shot from outside the box with some pace, but it’s a comfortable save for Oscar Ustari. Yusuf has been on the ground for a few minutes now and is receiving treatment. He was able to walk off under his own power. Revolution are playing with 10 men.
16th minute: 0-0
Revolution find Luca Langoni over the top, but Oscar Ustari gets to the ball first in the Inter Miami net to snuff out the threat.
9th minute: 0-0
Messi gets a free kick from the right side that he nearly sneaks low onto the ground, but Revolution keeper Aljaz Ivacic makes the stop diving to his left to send it out for a corner.
7th minute: 0-0
Matthew Polster has a great look at the net but mishits it off the side of his foot wide. Also called offsides. Still 0-0.
Pregame
Messi received an ovation from the still-arriving crowd and gave a wave when they showed him on the jumbotron.
Revolution hold a moment of silence for Diego Jota and Andre Silva, Portugese soccer players that died in a car crash in Spain on July 3.
Starting lineups
New England Revolution: Aljaz Ivacic, Mamadou Fofana, Brayan Ceballos, Tanner Beason, Peyton Miller, Matthew Polster, Carles Gil, Branodn Bye, Luca Langoni, Alhassan Yusuf, Leo Campana
Inter Miami CF: Oscar Ustari, Tomas Aviles, Jordi Alba, Maximiliano Falcon, Marcelo Weigandt, Sergio Busquets, Baltasar Rodriguez, Tadeo Allende, Federico Redondo, Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi
Who is Lionel Messi?
The forward is the captain for both Inter Miami and the Argentinia national team. He has won eight Ballon d’Ors as the best player in the world and led Europe in scoring six times. He has more than 850 career goals for his club and country and holds the record for most goals in a calendar year (91).
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Messi joined Miami in 2023 after three years with Paris Saint Germain. He spent the bulk of his career with Barcelona, making 520 appearances between 2004 and 2021.
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The 38-year-old who stands just 5-foot-7 has won an Olympic gold medal, World Cup and two Copa America championships.
Will Messi play against New England Revolution?
Miami’s starting lineup will be announced an hour before kickoff at 6:30 p.m.
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How to watch Messi and Inter Miami play vs. Revolution?
The game will be available on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.
Inter Miami at New England Revolution tickets
Want to go to the game Wednesday? Tickets are still available for purchase through Ticketmaster. The cheapest are in the lower bowl for $124.95 but can approach $500 for those seeking a premium experience.
