Paris Saint-Germain 4–0 Inter Miami: Takeaways as Lionel Messi's Herons Crash Out of Club World Cup | OneFootball

At least Inter Miami CF didn’t have the worst Inter result against Paris Saint-Germain.

On Sunday in the FIFA Club World Cup round of 16, Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami fell 4–0 to the French powerhouse, a disheartening loss, but still better than Inter Milan’s 5–0 drubbing against PSG in the UEFA Champions League final.

While head coach Javier Mascherano’s side started poorly and failed to provide a significant test to PSG, they managed to finish their Club World Cup campaign better than many expected, and got a valuable litmus test against one of the world’s best teams.

Here are Sports Illustrated’s takeaways from Inter Miami’s 4–0 loss to PSG.

A Bad Start and First Half Collapse

Miami found their stride in the second half, but the first half saw a return to the form they displayed early in the 2025 MLS season, with defensive errors and missed marks causing irreparable damage.

Although head coach Javier Mascherano’s team showed they could bounce back against some MLS teams in that spell, gaining any type of momentum against PSG became too tall a task.

While the defense had impressed through the group stage, and goalkeeper Oscar Ustari single-handedly got Miami a point against Al Ahly, none of those qualities shone through on Sunday, as their own mistakes cost them any chance at a game.

Just six minutes in, homegrown fullback Noah Allen missed his mark at the back post and Miami conceded their first, a header from João Neves, and Neves’s simple second strike came from another mistake at the back, this time by Maxi Falcón.

Although Allen came off with an apparent hamstring injury in the 19th minute, the mistakes continued, with Tomas Áviles and Falcon leaving options open on PSG’s third goal, and Sergio Busquets taking too long to play out of the back, eventually being stripped of possession on the fourth.

This wasn’t a game that PSG won because of their outstanding play. Instead, it was a crushing loss for Miami, one that was self-inflicted, with three goals coming in the final six minutes of the first half.

Messi’s Limitations

Lionel Messi was unable to make much of an impact against PSG. / Kai Pfaffenbach-Reuters via Imagn Images

Lionel Messi has been outstanding for Inter Miami since he joined the club in 2023. Yet, against the best club in the world, it is clear he is no longer at that level, even if his teammates didn’t do much to elevate his play.

The 38-year-old finished with 48 touches over the 90 minutes, the second-lowest amount in a game he has played with Inter Miami, where he has played 80 or more minutes. Among those touches, there weren’t any major dribbles, and just one key pass, the best of which was fumbled by Luis Suárez.

As much as Messi provided stunning moments for Miami and MLS during the Club World Cup, such as his free kick against FC Porto, his impact was completely shut down by PSG, making him nearly invisible.

Unlike some of his Miami teammates, though, Messi already has three Club World Cup titles, and now gets to return to MLS to chase an MLS Cup, one of the few trophies that elude him.

Job Done. Cash Secured. Back to MLS

Inter Miami's time at the Club World Cup can be considered a success despite the loss to PSG. / Amanda Perobelli-Reuters via Imagn Images

Winning the FIFA Club World Cup was always going to be a massive task for Messi and Miami, especially considering their declining form in league play, which didn’t match the success that earned them the 2024 Supporters’ Shield.

However, Miami got something few other MLS teams get in the middle of the summer: Intensity.

While other clubs muddled through the summer without key players due to international duty and transfer rumors, Miami played the most critical games in club history and impressed against some of the world’s most decorated teams in the group stage.

Now, they can bring that same level of intensity back into MLS play, where they look to build on a recent run of back-to-back wins, and launch themselves up the standings ahead of the MLS Cup Playoffs in the fall.

At the same time, they could have more options in the upcoming transfer window, with the $21 million they secured in the Club World Cup.

Sunday didn’t go to plan, but the Club World Cup was a success, ahead of their return to MLS action against CF Montréal on July 5.