Lionel Messi Unleashes at Referee After More Inter Miami Frustration

Tensions boiled over between Lionel Messi and referee Joe Dickerson after Inter Miami's 3–3 draw with San Jose Earthquakes.

In desperate need of a win, Inter Miami took the trip across the country to take on Bruce Arena's San Jose Earthquakes at PayPal Park. The Herons found the back of the net within the first 60 seconds of the match, but they went on to concede three first-half goals that forced them to settle for just a point.

After the final whistle, Messi was irate at Dickerson over a no-call in the 93rd minute. A tackle from Daniel Munie sent the Argentine to ground just outside the box, but the referee, who had a great view of the challenge, did not award a free kick.

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As Messi shook hands with his opponents, the match broadcast caught the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner shouting at the referee from a distance. Just when it looked like Messi was headed for the tunnel, he turned around to confront Dickerson face-to-face.

Lionel Messi had an extended, heated discussion with referees last night.

Seemed on the verge of being sent off... until San Jose manager Bruce Arena stepped in to diffuse and walked Messi away.

Arena: "I really wanted to make sure he wasn't going to get a red card." pic.twitter.com/AiZpfoHmQG
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) May 15, 2025

Dickerson urged Messi to "walk away" and booked the 37-year-old for dissent. The official even threatened to send Messi off, but Arena pulled the forward away before the moment escalated.

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In his post-game interview, Arena said the following about the incident: "[Messi] was obviously not happy and I wanted to make sure really he wasn't going to get a red card and that's why I just tried to move him out of the way because for him to get a red card at the end of the game would've been ridiculous."

Messi played a full 90 minutes but failed to get on the scoresheet after finding the back of the net in his last two appearances. The Argentine only managed two shots on target and created zero chances on the night.

The difficult match only adds to Inter Miami's frustrations at the moment. The Herons have just one victory in their last six matches across all competitions. Javier Mascherano's men have conceded 17 goals during their poor run of form and currently sit fifth in the Eastern Conference standings.

Messi and Inter Miami will look to bounce back in the Florida Derby against Orlando City on Sunday, May 18.