"I took advantage of the space" - Lionel Messi reveals how he managed to score free-kick goal vs Porto during Club World Cup clash

Inter Miami ace Lionel Messi has detailed how he scored a sensational free-kick during his side's 2-1 win over Porto. The Argentine ace netted the winner as the Herons secured three points during their FIFA Club World Cup group stage clash at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium (June 19).

The Herons trailed in the first half after Porto broke the deadlock via Samu Aghehowa's eighth-minute penalty. However, Javier Mascherano and Co. bounced back after the break, leveling the scores following Telasco Segovia's strike in the 47th minute.

Inter Miami had a big opportunity to take the lead seven minutes later after winning a free-kick. Lionel Messi stepped up once again and delivered for his side, curling a sensational shot into the top-right corner to seal all three points for his side.

After the game, Messi told FIFA (via GOAL):

"Well, I saw that the goalkeeper was stood in the middle of the goal and he was close to the goal, so it would be very difficult to get it over him. I took advantage of the space that he left there, because he stayed a bit more central. He didn’t cover his post so much, so I tried to put it there."

By scoring the 68th free-kick of his storied career, Lionel Messi also recorded his first goal of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The 37-year-old has had a solid season for Inter Miami to date, garnering 16 goals and six assists in 22 appearances across all competitions.

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"We’re here to compete" - Lionel Messi provides blunt response when asked what Inter Miami are proving to the world following 2-1 win against Porto

Lionel Messi has insisted that Inter Miami are determined to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup following their impressive 2-1 win over Porto. His comments arrived after he was asked what the Herons are proving to the global audience.

Inter Miami got off to a shaky start in the tournament opener when they were held to a 0-0 draw by Al-Ahly. However, following their win over Porto, they are currently second in Group A with four points from two games.

From the aforementioned source, Lionel Messi stated:

"I think they’re seeing that we’re here to compete, and today we competed against a strong European team. We made some silly mistakes in the first half the other day [against Al Ahly]. The younger players were a bit nervous because it was the first time they’d played in such a big, significant tournament. And I think we played well today.

He added:

"We were slow out of the blocks but we changed that in the second half. We’ll compete, we’ll try to play our game. We know that today we were the weaker team but we can hurt them. Next up we have Palmeiras, a great team and that’ll be another really tough match."

Inter Miami will next face Palmeiras in the Club World Cup on Monday, June 23.