Inter Miami faced Club América in a friendly over the weekend. Lionel Messi scored the Herons first goal of 2025, but it was his celebration that stole the headlines as he appeared to take a jab at Mexican fans.
Messi was booed incessantly by Club América fans who packed the stands of the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. When Messi scored in the 34th minute to bring the game level, he faced the América crowd and pointed to the name on the back of his shirt. Not done with the celebration, Messi then proceeded to once again turn towards the fans, point to himself and put up three fingers in the air, then, he pointed towards the fans and held up a zero with his hand.
Messi appeared to want to remind Mexican fans about Argentina's three World Cup titles against Mexico's zero. He also seemed to remind fans about Argentina's 2–0 victory over El Tri in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with a similar sign recalling that final score.
New Messi celly just dropped 🔥 pic.twitter.com/nHlpF3sD7Q
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) January 19, 2025
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The celebration quickly lit up social media. Mexican news outlets and fans alike criticized the World Cup champion, arguing the celebration was a little much for it happening in a friendly match. However, people in Argentina loved it, with reporters even posting the celebration themselves.
The controversy didn't die down and almost a day after the game, former Mexico national team player, Adolfo Bautista, posted a picture on Instagram saying, "I admired you as a player. But to mess with my country speaks to your lack of professionalism and education."
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It's uncommon to see Messi doing something controversial, but the tensions between Mexican and Argentina fanbases have been well documented in recent years. Messi and Argentina have defeated Mexico in three of the last five World Cup's, turning him into a villain in the eyes of many Mexican fans.
Miami defeated América in a penalty shootout, as the Heron's began their preparation for the start of the 2025 MLS season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mexican Fans in Uproar Over Lionel Messi's Inter Miami Celebration vs. Club America.
