Inter Miami edged Philadelphia 6‑4 on Sunday at Nu Stadium, but the match turned into a Messi‑centric saga when the Argentine left the field in the 73rd minute with a thigh complaint. The captain’s exit came after a free‑kick injury, prompting a substitution for Mateo Silvetti. The drama eclipsed a high‑scoring night.

Philadelphia opened the scoring with two goals from Milan Iloski, while Germán Berterame added a third from Messi’s cross. Miami clawed back with Luis Suárez netting twice and a second from Berterame, turning a 4‑3 lead into a 4‑4 stalemate before Iloski completed a hat‑trick after a VAR‑confirmed handball by Sergio Reguilón.

In the second half, rain slowed the pace, but Suárez’s third and Rodrigo De Paul’s sixth secured the win. The victory lifts Inter Miami to 31 points, second in the Eastern Conference, two behind Nashville. The match remains the second‑highest scoring regular‑season game in MLS history.

Messi’s departure signals a potential shift for the club as the league heads into a break for the World Cup, with Inter Miami positioned just outside the conference leaders.