Lionel Messi taunted with Ronaldo chants, scores banger moments later

By now, it is not strange for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to hear each other’s name while playing during matches.

Ronaldo has fallen victim to this severally, and at some point, it got so bad that it earned the five-time Ballon d’Or winner a one-match ban on February 29.

In the latest edition of taunting, it was Messi who faced a wave of mockery from Nashville FC fans on Thursday, March 14 when his side faced the Tennessee-based club.

Inter Miami secured a 3-1 victory in the CONCACAF Champions Cup round of 16, with Messi and his old Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez both getting on the scoresheet.

Suarez gave his side the lead in the eighth minute after being teed up by the 2022 World Cup winner, who made it 2-0 moments later.

Messi taunted with Ronaldo chants

There was an interesting subplot to Messi’s goal, as it came just seconds a brutal chant from the visiting fans.

A video from the fans’ perspective, shared by @CFC Alice on X, showed how some fans were chanting Ronaldo’s name as Messi anticipated the ball at the edge of the area.

This is why Messi is the GOAT ???? CR7 fans chanting “Ronaldo” and he responds by putting one top bins ???? Yet Ronaldo cries and does rude gestures to the crowd when Messi fans chant “Messi” ???? pic.twitter.com/H2JNiZTmKJ

— Alice ✨ (@CFC_Alice) March 14, 2024

In what was a cruel coincidence, the rival fans’ chants were drowned by the home crowd seconds later as Messi received the ball at the end of the box, took a few touches before slotting it home, according to CBS News.

The Argentine probably did not even hear the chants from rival fans, but somehow responded the best way he knew how, by scoring a banger.

Messi’s injury

One negative that came from Inter Miami’s win over Nashville was Messi’s apparent leg injury.

Inter Miami coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino confirmed the Argentine was likely to miss the weekend’s league game against D.C United with what he termed as “a muscle overload in his right leg.”