The incident occurred late in the match as Inter Miami neared their first home victory since moving to the new stadium. Instead of the usual celebratory atmosphere, a section of the stands erupted in a chant criticizing the home team's players. Messi immediately turned towards the fans, repeatedly making agitated hand gestures. After the game, he shook his finger towards the La Familia section, signaling his disapproval.

Rodrigo De Paul reacted similarly. The Argentinian midfielder pointed to the logo on his jersey and gestured towards the entire stands, implying that the club belongs to all fans, not just one group of ultras.

Messi reacts angrily to Inter Miami fans during the 2-0 victory over Portland Timbers in MLS matchday 14 on 17/5 at Nu Stadium, Miami, Florida, USA. Photo: Screenshot

The tension stemmed from a silent protest by La Familia, which comprises many of Inter Miami’s most passionate fan clubs. For the initial 85 minutes of the match, the group remained silent, refraining from drumming, waving flags, and singing chants. This behavior is uncommon at Inter Miami’s home games.

La Familia believes players have shown disrespect towards fans since the team moved to Nu Stadium. They complained that players often head directly to the locker room after games without approaching the ultras section to express gratitude. A member of Southern Legion, a fan club within La Familia, stated that members typically arrive at the stadium in the morning to prepare flags, banners, and the cheering section, but the only player who consistently greets them is defender Noah Allen.

It wasn't until the 85th minute that La Familia resumed chanting. However, the song they chose ultimately caused the situation to escalate.

According to several Inter Miami fans on Reddit, the melody used by La Familia is a popular Argentinian football chant. It is typically sung when a team is performing poorly or experiencing a crisis. The song's lyrics convey a message along the lines of: "Players, play with more passion, you are not playing against strong opponents."

Moments of Messi reacting to fans.

Danni0, a Reddit user identifying as Argentinian, commented: "Messi reacted that way because he immediately recognized the song. In Argentina, this song is only used when the team is playing badly or in crisis. Messi must have been in disbelief to hear it when Inter Miami was winning."

Another fan, Whatdididotho1, suggested that La Familia chose the wrong message. "Messi understood the song in its traditional Argentinian context, so he thought the fans were criticizing the team," the user wrote. "He was upset to hear those words, even though Inter Miami finally won their first game at the new stadium."

Many other fans sided with Messi. User lao3hero wrote: "If you truly support the club, you shouldn't demand that players come and thank you."

Meanwhile, BigAl_MIA argued that the ultras group acted as if they were "the only Inter Miami fans." "Messi and De Paul wanted to convey that the club belongs to the entire stadium, not just La Familia," the user commented.

Some opinions, however, defended the ultras. User Upset-Difficulty5836 suggested that South American football has a distinct culture where the relationship between players and fan clubs is crucial. "Without fans, there is no club," the user wrote.

The dispute also reflects cultural differences within Inter Miami itself. Since Messi joined in 2023, the Florida team has shown a strong Argentinian influence, with 8 players from Argentina, more than the 7 from the United States. However, the club competes in MLS, an American sports environment less influenced by South American-style ultras culture.

Despite the controversy, the victory against Portland Timbers helped ease tensions. Inter Miami climbed to the top of the MLS Eastern Conference, and Messi continued to demonstrate his impact with a goal and an assist, marking his fourth consecutive match achieving this.