Lionel Messi put up a stellar performance for Inter Miami as the defending Major League Soccer (MLS) champion beat FC Cincinnati 5-3 in a tense contest at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Wednesday.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup-winning captain opened the scoring for the Herons and remained a perpetual threat throughout the match, either scoring or assisting on multiple occasions.
As a result, there have been multiple claims by media reports after the match that Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick — his first for the Herons this year. Sportstar does a fact check on the claim to see if there actually exists any truth in it.
Did Lionel Messi actually score a hat-trick in FC Cincinnati vs Inter Miami?
Messi scored once in each half and in the 89th minute, he stamped the ball into the net — one that seemed to have been given to him. However, after the review, it was found out that the last touch on the ball had come off Roman Celentano.
MESSI HAT TRICK 🎩🎩🎩 pic.twitter.com/r89IPOglLZ
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 14, 2026
As a result, the third goal was given as an own goal to Celentano, and not to Messi.
The rectified scoreline meant Messi had only two goals and not three, along with an assist.
Published on May 14, 2026