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Lionel Messi Scores Unusual Goal With His Chest During Inter Miami's 5-0 Win Over Orlando City

Lionel Messi's 1st home goal of the 2024 MLS season was an unusual one. Messi scored using his chest after an Orlando City player tried and failed to foul him.

Robert Summerscales

Lionel Messi Scores Unusual Goal With His Chest During Inter Miami's 5-0 Win Over Orlando City
Lionel Messi Scores Unusual Goal With His Chest During Inter Miami's 5-0 Win Over Orlando City /

Lionel Messi's first home goal of the 2024 Major League Soccer season was an unusual one.

With his Inter Miami side already leading 3-0 against Orlando City thanks to a Luis Suarez brace and a goal from Robert Taylor, Messi found the net with his chest 57 minutes into Saturday's game at Chase Stadium.

Messi's funky finish came after Jordi Alba had been denied a goal by a spectacular clearance from Robin Jansson.

Orlando center-back Jansson powerfully deflected Alba's goal-bound shot onto the underside of the crossbar before Messi controlled the rebound on his chest.

Messi seemingly intended to move the ball from his chest to his left foot but was prevented from taking a second touch by Rodrigo Schlegel pulling his jersey.

Had the ball not ended up in the back of the net then Schlegel likely would have conceded a penalty kick and been sent off.

But because it trickled over the line Schlegel's foul did not need to be punished by the referee.

Rodrigo Schlegel pictured (right) pulling the jersey of Lionel Messi in an unsuccessful effort to stop the Inter Miami captain from scoring against Orlando City in an MLS game in March 2024
Rodrigo Schlegel pictured (right) pulling the jersey of Lionel Messi in an unsuccessful effort to stop the Inter Miami captain from scoring against Orlando City in an MLS game on Saturday / Apple TV

The Miami captain scored again five minutes later - this time with a header - to wrap up a 5-0 win.

That result set a new club record for Miami's biggest ever margin of victory.

Messi has now scored 824 goals during his senior career, including two directly off his chest.

His first chested goal came for Barcelona against Club Estudiantes de La Plata in the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup final.

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Robert Summerscales
ROBERT SUMMERSCALES

Robert Summerscales launched FanNation Futbol in February 2022. Rob is a British journalist who previously spent two years on the sports desk at the Daily Mail in London, having earlier served as editor of CaughtOffside.com. He has been to the last two FIFA Men's World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, and is looking forward to completing his hat-trick in North America in 2026.