Lionel Messi. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Lionel Messi uses savvy instinct to help goalie save PK

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Darryn Albert | Last updated 2/27/24

You never quite know what kind of magic Lionel Messi is going to pull off next.

The Inter Miami superstar Messi went viral this week for his impressive stunt against the LA Galaxy. Messi’s teammate Sergio Busquets conceded a penalty in the 11th minute for a foul inside the box on Galaxy forward Joseph Painstil. Midfielder Riqui Puig of the Galaxy then stepped up to take the ensuing spot-kick.

Video circulated online of Messi, who was standing out towards midfield, signaling with his arm to Inter Miami’s goalkeeper, Drake Callender, to dive towards his left. Wouldn’t you know it, Puig indeed ended up shooting in exactly that direction, and Callender made the save.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ESPN FC (@espnfc)

Inter Miami was only able to come away with a 1-1 draw in the end, but Messi almost single-handedly willed them there. In addition to helping Callender stop the penalty, Messi scored the equalizer in stoppage time of the second half (after the Galaxy went down to ten men thanks to a second yellow card and subsequent send-off for Marco Delgado in the 88th minute).

MESSI WITH THE EQUALIZER LATE pic.twitter.com/qN8tASYqP7

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) February 26, 2024

The superhuman display came just days after Messi broke the Internet with a disrespectful dribble move on an opponent during an Inter Miami-Real Salt Lake match.

As for the Puig thing, Messi clearly had a pretty good idea of his shooting tendencies. That is because the two players used to be teammates in Spain for La Liga powerhouse F.C. Barcelona, playing together from 2018-21.

Fortunately for Messi, he does not just have to face off against his former Barca teammates — he has lot of them playing with him on Inter Miami too.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: