Messi in the Club World Cup: Inter Miami meets PSG in the round of 16!

Messi in the Club World Cup: Inter Miami meets PSG in the round of 16!

On June 24, 2025, Lionel Messi's Inter Miami and Palmeiras from São Paulo reached the round of 16 of the Football Club World Cup in the USA. The explosive duel between Inter Miami and Palmeiras ended in a 2-2 draw. Despite the draw, Palmeiras secured group victory in Group H thanks to the better goal difference.

The game featured plenty of drama in the tournament, which runs through July 13 at MetLife Stadium. Inter Miami took an early lead through Tadeo Allende, who scored in the 16th minute after a pass from Luis Suárez. Luis Suárez scored Miami's second goal in the 65th minute. In the final phase, however, Palmeiras equalized through Paulinho (80th) and Mauricio (88th).

Surprises and decisions

Inter Miami qualified for the Round of 16 as underdogs after finishing second in Group A. The team performance exceeded internal expectations, including in the duel against FC Porto. The latter was eliminated with a 4-4 draw against Al Ahly, with Wessam Abou Ali scoring three goals for Al Ahly. Inter Miami will now face Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16, while Palmeiras will face Botafogo.

The group stage also contained a surprise: Atlético Madrid lost 1-0 against Botafogo and were eliminated despite 23 shots and five great chances. Despite having six points in the group, they finished the round due to worse goal difference. Coach Diego Simeone expressed dissatisfaction with some refereeing decisions during the game.

The mood among the fans

The mood at the game was divided. While Palmeiras fans booed when Messi and Suárez were introduced, Inter Miami supporters celebrated their team's surprising success. Botafogo was euphoric about reaching the round of 16 and emphasized the value of Brazilian football.

The FIFA Club World Cup not only offers exciting games, but also some interesting developments off the pitch. Teams like Chelsea are preparing for an important game against Esperance de Tunis as extreme temperatures prevail in Philadelphia. Other matches on the program include Auckland City FC against Boca Juniors and Benfica against Bayern Munich. Meanwhile, Manchester City entertains its players with activities such as Jenga.

In the coming round, fans can look forward to extraordinary matches. Messi will face his former club Paris Saint-Germain, making the upcoming round of 16 a very special highlight.

For the latest updates on the Club World Cup, fans can visit the website of Vienna, ESPN and Kicker fall back.