Messi-less Inter Miami held to goalless draw by Cincinnati

Inter Miami, missing suspended stars Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba, drew 0-0 against Eastern Conference leaders FC Cincinnati in an MLS match on July 16, 2025. The absences resulted from their controversial withdrawal from the MLS All-Star Game, forcing them to watch from the sidelines as Miami failed to close the gap in the standings.

Miami narrowly avoided defeat in stoppage time when Cincinnati defender Miles Robinson's goal was disallowed after a contentious foul call during an aerial challenge on Noah Allen. The result leaves Inter Miami seven points behind Cincinnati in the Eastern Conference.

During pre-game festivities, Inter Miami formally unveiled new signing Rodrigo De Paul, Messi's World Cup-winning Argentina teammate. The 31-year-old midfielder, joining from Atletico Madrid, stated his motivation was to "compete, win titles, and write pages in the club's history," praising Inter Miami's growing stature. He is expected to debut in the upcoming Leagues Cup campaign.

Co-owner David Beckham hailed De Paul's arrival, emphasizing the player brings "experience, passion and quality" to the team. Beckham noted his long-standing admiration for De Paul's leadership, particularly with Argentina, expressing excitement about welcoming another World Cup winner to both Inter Miami and MLS.