Messi Draws Massive Crowd but Goes Goalless as Inter Miami and Chicago Fire Set New MLS Attendance Record

Messi's Magic Fills Soldier Field, but the Net Stays Empty

You don’t often see a 0-0 draw feel this electric. Yet when Lionel Messi is involved, every minute buzzes with anticipation. Soldier Field hit a new high on April 13, 2025, packing in 62,358 fans—breaking the venue’s own attendance record, which, no surprise, was set the last time Messi arrived in 2023. That’s a crowd bigger than many American football games, all there to see if Messi and Inter Miami could deliver some magic against Chicago Fire.

If you came for goals, you went home empty-handed. But if you came for drama, the place was bursting at the seams. Messi was everywhere, unleashing five shots on the night. Twice, he came heart-stoppingly close: a free kick in the 64th minute that skimmed the crossbar sent fans gasping, and then, late in the 85th, another strike rattled the woodwork, leaving the stadium groaning in unison. It was the kind of tension only Messi brings, every missed chance carrying just as much weight as a goal.

Inter Miami's offense kept prodding, with Luis Suarez sliding the ball into the net in the 86th minute—only for the flag to go up for offside, quickly dousing fresh hopes. Chicago, relentless on the counter, saw their best looks denied by Inter Miami’s new goalkeeper, Oscar Ustari. He put up a wall with seven saves, including a massive stop against Jonathan Bamba late in the match. On the other side, Chicago’s young keeper Chris Brady stepped up for his first clean sheet of the season, shutting down Messi on two shots and keeping his cool under immense pressure.

Inter Miami’s Unbeaten Streak Continues in a Season of Big Crowds

This wasn’t just about the game; it was about the show that MLS attendance has become when Messi is in town. The reigning World Cup champion’s presence has turned regular season matches into headline events. Just look at the numbers: in 2024, Arrowhead Stadium drew over 72,000 for an Inter Miami game, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium filled with 68,455 during the playoffs. Everywhere Messi goes, records seem to follow.

Chicago’s point lifts the Fire to an even 3-2-3 record, their defense finally delivering a shutout after a string of high-scoring games. For Inter Miami, the draw keeps their impressive unbeaten run alive at 4-0-3, tallying up 15 points and chasing the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

Emotions ran high on the pitch, too. Referees handed out five yellow cards in a physical first half, reminding everyone that this was more than a Messi parade. Both coaches dug into their benches: Chicago called on young attackers like Gutiérrez and Oregel, while Miami, fresh off a dramatic quarterfinal in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, rested some tired legs and swapped out big names like Sergio Busquets and Suarez late on.

While neither team found the back of the net, fans witnessed an edge-of-your-seat contest. Messi might have left Soldier Field without a goal, but the crowd—still buzzing about his possible contract extension through 2026 and the future opening of Miami Freedom Park—didn’t seem disappointed. More than ever, Messi continues to turn MLS into must-see TV, win or draw.

19 Comments

Bronwen Davies
April 19, 2025 AT 06:22

I swear, the way the crowd erupted when that free kick hit the crossbar? Pure magic. Not even a goal needed. The air just changed. I’ve never felt a stadium hold its breath like that. It was like watching poetry in motion, even when it didn’t land.

And Oscar Ustari? Absolute beast. Seven saves? That’s not luck. That’s instinct carved from years of watching legends like Messi dance around defenses. He didn’t just stop shots-he stopped hope. And still, the crowd stayed loud.
Aquilino Mcquiston
April 20, 2025 AT 19:09

Man I just sat there watching and thought wow this is why we love sports not because someone scores but because someone makes you feel something even when they dont score

messi turned a 0-0 into a moment that’ll be talked about for years

the woodwork rattled twice and i swear my heart skipped each time

we dont need goals when we got this
Cindy Crawford
April 22, 2025 AT 14:32

Actually, the attendance record was set in 2023 at 61,800. This was 62,358 so it’s a new record, but not by much. Also, Arrowhead Stadium isn’t an MLS venue-it’s NFL. They used it for a one-off. Don’t confuse the leagues. And Chicago’s defense wasn’t ‘finally delivering’-they’ve had shutouts before. Just not in the last five games. Accuracy matters.
Markos Charatzas
April 24, 2025 AT 02:25

This is what happens when you turn a sport into a circus

62k people to watch one man miss

they call it soccer

i call it a cult

the whole thing is a scam

the league is broken
Lena Michaels
April 25, 2025 AT 18:07

So let me get this straight… we paid $150 to watch a guy who doesn’t even play 90 minutes make two shots that barely touch the bar and then we all pretend it was better than a 3-2 thriller?

Yeah okay. I get it. The merch sales are up. The sponsors are happy. The stadium’s lit up like a Christmas tree. But don’t act like this was football. It was a halftime show with cleats.
Lea Ranum
April 27, 2025 AT 10:09

I cried. I literally cried. Not because of the goals-because of the silence after the second hit. That collective gasp? That was the sound of 62,000 hearts breaking and then reassembling into something bigger. I’ve never felt so seen. I’ve never felt so small. I’ve never felt so alive. This wasn’t a game. It was a spiritual experience. I’m not okay.
Linda Lewis
April 28, 2025 AT 16:58

Ustari was solid.
Jason Frizzell
April 30, 2025 AT 05:28

i think people are forgetting that messi is 37 and still doing this

and the fact that he’s making a whole league better just by showing up

even if he doesn’t score

it’s still a gift

just watch him move
Ethan Steinberg
May 1, 2025 AT 22:25

America’s gonna turn soccer into a pop concert and then wonder why the rest of the world doesn’t take it seriously. We’ve got 62k people cheering for a guy who didn’t score and calling it a win. Meanwhile, real football nations are out here winning titles. This ain’t progress. It’s performance art with a ticket price.
Steve Williams
May 2, 2025 AT 14:29

this messi guy good but too old

why not let young boys play

they dont need one man carry whole team

football is team game
Andy Persaud
May 2, 2025 AT 22:00

Boring. Zero goals. Zero excitement. Just a guy running around like he’s in a video game. I could’ve watched highlights on YouTube and saved $200.
ANGEL ROBINSON
May 4, 2025 AT 20:00

Let’s be real: this isn’t about Messi scoring. It’s about what he represents. He’s not just a player-he’s a force of nature who elevates everyone around him. Ustari? He played like a veteran because Messi forced him to. Suarez? He moved like a man who knew his role wasn’t to score but to create space. The Fire’s defense? They didn’t just hold-they learned. This was a masterclass in influence. The goal wasn’t in the net. It was in the mindset of everyone who watched.

That’s why records fall. That’s why stadiums fill. That’s why this game mattered more than any 3-1 win ever could.
Deborah Canavan
May 5, 2025 AT 18:24

I mean, I’ve been watching football since the 80s and I’ve seen a lot of things but this… this was different. Not because of the skill, though that was obviously there, but because of the way the energy just… pooled. Like the whole stadium was holding its breath and then letting it out in this slow, collective sigh every time he touched the ball. It wasn’t about the outcome. It was about the ritual. Like a church service where everyone knows the hymn by heart but still sings like it’s the first time. I think that’s what people are missing when they say it was ‘just a draw.’ It wasn’t a game. It was a ceremony.
Thomas Rosser
May 6, 2025 AT 23:40

62k people… and not one of them noticed the ref missed 3 handballs in the box? 😏

And the offside call on Suarez? That was a joke. VAR didn’t even blink. Coincidence? Or… is this all just staged? I mean, why else would they let him take 5 shots and not give him a single penalty? The league’s in on it. They’re building the Messi myth. It’s all marketing. You’re being played.
Joshua Johnston
May 7, 2025 AT 18:12

You know what’s wild? People act like this is new. But every time a genius shows up, the world forgets how to appreciate the process. We want goals. We want wins. We want stats. But Messi? He doesn’t play for stats. He plays for moments. The way he shifts his weight before a pass. The way he looks up before he shoots. That’s the art. The rest? Just noise.
Kerry Keane
May 7, 2025 AT 19:52

oof that last shot was so close i thought my tv was broken

but hey at least the team kept the streak alive

and oscar ustari? he’s the quiet hero no one talks about
Elliott martin
May 8, 2025 AT 17:51

I just kept thinking about how many kids in Chicago watched this and now they want to play soccer. Not football. Not basketball. Soccer. That’s the real win. Not the record. Not the shots. The next generation. That’s what he’s building.
Shelby Hale
May 8, 2025 AT 23:58

Oh my god. The way the crowd just… stopped breathing? That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I didn’t need a goal. I needed that silence. That moment where 62,000 people became one soul. That’s not sports. That’s transcendence. And now they want to build a stadium named after him? Of course they do. He didn’t just play. He changed the air we breathe.
Aquilino Mcquiston
May 10, 2025 AT 06:30

I feel you. I’ve been saying this for years. It’s not about the goals. It’s about the way he makes you feel like anything’s possible. Even when he doesn’t score, he changes the game. That’s why they keep coming back. That’s why the stadium breaks records. That’s why we keep watching. He’s not just a player. He’s a feeling.