Messi's Chicago Debut: Soccer Icon's Near-Miss Drama at Soldier Field

Max Sterling, 4/14/2025In a delicious twist of sporting theater, Messi's long-awaited Chicago debut drew record crowds but delivered a goalless masterclass in anticipation. Like a Shakespearean play where the lead actor whispers rather than roars, the match proved that sometimes the most memorable performances don't need a dramatic finale.

Lionel Messi, having twice left Chicago fans hanging with injury-related no-shows, finally graced the lakefront shrine. The result? A stubborn 0-0 draw that somehow managed to feel both anticlimactic and absolutely riveting.

Let's be real — this wasn't just another early-season MLS match. The sea of Inter Miami pink jerseys dotting the stands (and presumably flying off merchandise racks) told a different story. Here was American soccer's new reality: a global icon, fresh off his eighth Ballon d'Or, playing in front of a crowd that would make most European clubs envious.

The match itself unfolded like a particularly tense episode of Ted Lasso, minus the goals but packed with drama. Chicago's keeper Chris Brady — probably still pinching himself — pulled off a save against Messi in the fourth minute that'll be making the rounds on social media for weeks. The Argentine wizard later struck the crossbar with one of those free kicks that usually end up as YouTube highlights, then proceeded to pepper the goal frame with near-misses that had the crowd gasping in collective anticipation.

But here's the thing about the beautiful game — sometimes beauty lies in denial. Fire coach Gregg Berhalter, who'd acknowledged before kickoff that completely shutting down Messi was about as likely as Chicago going without wind, watched his defensive masterplan work to perfection. "Limiting the damage," as he'd put it, turned out to be quite the understatement.

The Fire weren't just there to play spoiler, though. Jonathan Bamba nearly wrote himself into local folklore with an 88th-minute chance that had goal written all over it — until Miami keeper Oscar Ustari decided to play party-pooper with a save that defied physics and probably several local ordinances.

For Inter Miami, recording their first goalless game of 2025 wasn't exactly in the script. Javier Mascherano's post-match comments about physical and mental fatigue felt less like excuses and more like the reality of a team carrying the weight of unprecedented expectations. After all, when you've got Messi and Suarez on your roster, drawing blank isn't supposed to be part of the deal.

Yet somehow, the scoreline felt secondary to the spectacle. In a city that's seen Michael Jordan defy gravity and Walter Payton break tackles, Messi's mere presence created its own kind of sports magic. The mixture of Fire red and Miami pink in the stands wasn't just a fashion statement — it was American soccer's coming-of-age party in microcosm.

Both teams will take their point and run (Fire at 3-2-3, Miami at 4-0-3), but the real winner might be American soccer itself. When was the last time a goalless draw felt this significant? When did Soldier Field last buzz with this kind of soccer electricity?

Sometimes the beautiful game writes stories that transcend the score sheet. On this Sunday by Lake Michigan, Chicago didn't just host a soccer match — it hosted a moment. The goals may have been missing, but the magic? That showed up right on schedule.

Soccer has its magical moments, and Chicago just witnessed one for the history books — even if the scoreboard didn't quite get the memo. On a brisk Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field, 62,358 fans (shattering the Fire's previous attendance record) created an electric atmosphere that felt more Camp Nou than Midwest, all to catch a glimpse of the man they call La Pulga.Lionel Messi, having twice left Chicago fans hanging with injury-related no-shows, finally graced the lakefront shrine. The result? A stubborn 0-0 draw that somehow managed to feel both anticlimactic and absolutely riveting.Let's be real — this wasn't just another early-season MLS match. The sea of Inter Miami pink jerseys dotting the stands (and presumably flying off merchandise racks) told a different story. Here was American soccer's new reality: a global icon, fresh off his eighth Ballon d'Or, playing in front of a crowd that would make most European clubs envious.The match itself unfolded like a particularly tense episode of Ted Lasso, minus the goals but packed with drama. Chicago's keeper Chris Brady — probably still pinching himself — pulled off a save against Messi in the fourth minute that'll be making the rounds on social media for weeks. The Argentine wizard later struck the crossbar with one of those free kicks that usually end up as YouTube highlights, then proceeded to pepper the goal frame with near-misses that had the crowd gasping in collective anticipation.But here's the thing about the beautiful game — sometimes beauty lies in denial. Fire coach Gregg Berhalter, who'd acknowledged before kickoff that completely shutting down Messi was about as likely as Chicago going without wind, watched his defensive masterplan work to perfection. "Limiting the damage," as he'd put it, turned out to be quite the understatement.The Fire weren't just there to play spoiler, though. Jonathan Bamba nearly wrote himself into local folklore with an 88th-minute chance that had goal written all over it — until Miami keeper Oscar Ustari decided to play party-pooper with a save that defied physics and probably several local ordinances.For Inter Miami, recording their first goalless game of 2025 wasn't exactly in the script. Javier Mascherano's post-match comments about physical and mental fatigue felt less like excuses and more like the reality of a team carrying the weight of unprecedented expectations. After all, when you've got Messi and Suarez on your roster, drawing blank isn't supposed to be part of the deal.Yet somehow, the scoreline felt secondary to the spectacle. In a city that's seen Michael Jordan defy gravity and Walter Payton break tackles, Messi's mere presence created its own kind of sports magic. The mixture of Fire red and Miami pink in the stands wasn't just a fashion statement — it was American soccer's coming-of-age party in microcosm.Both teams will take their point and run (Fire at 3-2-3, Miami at 4-0-3), but the real winner might be American soccer itself. When was the last time a goalless draw felt this significant? When did Soldier Field last buzz with this kind of soccer electricity?Sometimes the beautiful game writes stories that transcend the score sheet. On this Sunday by Lake Michigan, Chicago didn't just host a soccer match — it hosted a moment. The goals may have been missing, but the magic? That showed up right on schedule.