Lionel Messi pays tribute to new Inter Miami signing: “He gives us a leap in quality in the squad”

The 2025 Leagues Cup is underway and it’s a tournament that holds special significance for Inter Miami.

It was the first trophy they won after Lionel Messi’s arrival and now they’re aiming to recreate that success, this time with the help of Rodrigo De Paul. The Argentine midfielder played the full match against Atlas on Wednesday and showed flashes of his European pedigree.

Telasco Segovia opened the scoring for Inter Miami on the night and, for a while, it looked like it would be a comfortable win for the home side. But in the 80th minute, substitute Rivaldo Lozano capitalized on a deflection to level the score for Atlas. Then, deep into stoppage time, Messi delivered a moment of inspiration and set up Marcelo “Chelo” Weigandt to score a winner in the 96th minute and secure all three points for Javier Mascherano’s squad.

Lionel Messi thrilled with Leagues Cup win

“It’s a great tournament that we always look forward to,” Messi told Apple TV after the match.

“We won it before. I couldn’t play last year, but the team still did well. It’s a great challenge, especially going up against strong Mexican sides. The format has changed, but it’s still a competition we enjoy being part of.”

Messi emphasized the importance of a strong start: “It mattered. None of the MLS teams had won yesterday, so it was important for us to get the result today and gain an edge. We’re competing among ourselves too, not just against the Mexican teams. Every goal and point counts.”

The big change for Inter Miami on the night was the introduction of Rodrigo de Paul, Messi’s international teammate. De Paul arrives from Atlético Madrid and he is an obvious upgrade for this Miami squad, and adds more familiarity with Messi.

“We’ve known each other for a long time and played many matches together,” Messi said of De Paul. “He raises the level of the squad. He’s barely trained and still covered so much ground, even in these tough conditions with the heat and humidity. What matters is the team played well and we got three important points.”

Speaking about the team more broadly, Messi insisted that the Herons are ready to challenge for titles this year. They fell short in the Concacaf Champions Cup this year but they still have a real opportunity to add another cup this summer.

“We’re always ready to compete,” Messi said. “We had a strong run in the Concacaf Champions Cup earlier this year and nearly made the final. We’re in the fight for the top spots in the league, had a solid showing at the Club World Cup, and now we’ve added a great player like Rodrigo.”

“We’ve had a lot of injuries, but we’ve managed to push through. This is a tournament we enjoy—it’s short, competitive, and gives us a shot at another title and a place in the Concacaf Champions Cup. We’ll fight for it, just like we always do.”

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