Messi Misses Third Straight Penalty as Inter Miami Falls to Nashville; Son's Streak Ends

Inter Miami's star player Lionel Messi experienced a difficult outing, missing a crucial penalty kick in his team's 1-4 defeat against Nashville SC on January 16th. This marks the third consecutive official match where Messi has failed to convert a penalty, a streak not seen since 2014.

The missed penalty occurred in the 23rd minute of the first half when Inter Miami was trailing 0-1. Messi's shot towards the bottom left corner was saved by the Nashville goalkeeper. This recent struggle with penalties follows his misses during the 2026 World Cup group stage match against Austria and the Round of 16 game against Egypt.

Adding to the pressure, Messi recently experienced the passing of his father, Jorge Messi, on January 8th due to illness. The Argentine superstar had expressed uncertainty about his future in football following this personal loss, suggesting that emotional and psychological factors may be contributing to his on-field performance. Despite assisting on Telasco Segovia's equalizer before halftime, Inter Miami conceded three goals in the second half, widening the gap with Eastern Conference leader Nashville SC.

In another notable MLS match, Son Heung-min's scoring streak came to an end. After netting goals in four consecutive league games, the South Korean forward played a full match for LA FC against San Diego but was unable to add to his tally. LA FC subsequently lost the match 0-1.

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I don't know if I can continue playing football.