By Victor Kanayo
Football star Lionel Messi was the talk of town after he slotted a sublime free kick that ensured that Inter Miami defeated FC Porto in their second match at the ongoing 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in United States.
The victory ensured that Miami etched their name into the record books as the first-ever CONCACAF club to defeat a European team in a FIFA tournament.
The match ended 2-1 in favour of Miami.
Goals from the MLS side sealed a milestone moment not just for the club, but for North American football on the global stage.
How The Did Was Done
The Argentine superstar found the top corner with a second half set-piece to clinch a surprise victory for the MLS side and give them a strong chance of progressing from Group A.
Inter Miami and Palmeiras have four points each, after the Brazilian side beat Al Ahly 2-0 earlier on — the Egyptians like Porto have one point.
Samu Aghehowa’s early penalty gave the Portuguese side the lead as they had the better of the first half and could have scored more.
Beckham Effect And More
Co-owned by former England international David Beckham, Inter Miami played their first MLS match in 2020 and signed Messi in 2023, raising their profile significantly.
This was the first competitive victory for an MLS side over European opposition, in their second encounter after Chelsea beat Los Angeles FC earlier in the week.
Botafago Stunner
Also, in one of the biggest stuns in Club World Cup history, Brazilian side Botafogo shocked the football world by defeating European giants Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in a dramatic encounter.
Despite PSG’s star-studded lineup, the underdogs from Rio de Janeiro delivered a disciplined and fearless performance, securing a historic win that sent their fans into wild celebrations.
