"Deserves the spotlight ahead of Messi", "Too good for this league" - Fans hail Lionel Messi's teammate after Inter Miami win Eastern Conference title

Inter Miami fans on X have waxed lyrical about Lionel Messi's teammate, Tadeo Allende, after the latter netted a brilliant hat-trick during their 5-1 win over New York City FC. The two clubs faced each other in the MLS Eastern Conference final at the Chase Stadium on Saturday, November 29.

Tadeo Allende brilliantly picked out the bottom corner with an accurate finish to open the scoring in the 14th minute. The 26-year-old then doubled their advantage nine minutes later with an acrobatic header. However, Justin Haak powerfully headed home in the 37th minute to halve the deficit for the visitors going into half-time.

Lionel Messi assisted Mateo Silvetti to make it 3-1 in the 67th minute before Telasco Segovia opened up a three-goal lead for Inter Miami 16 minutes later. Allende then completed his hat-trick in the 89th minute with an audacious chip to ensure the Herons won the Eastern Conference.

Tadeo Allende had a brilliant game, garnering a rating of 9.7. The Argentine created one chance, landed three shots on target from an attempted four, and made six touches in the opposition box. He has now recorded eight goals and one assist in five appearances during the MLS Cup playoffs.

One Inter Miami fan reckons Allende deserves more praise than Lionel Messi, posting:

"Allende deserves the spotlight ahead of Messi for this game"

Dev_Drey

@DreyOnWeb

Allende deserves the spotlight ahead of Messi for this game

Another fan tweeted:

"This guy is not supposed to be playing in mls 🫶 he’s too good for this league , he deserves to play in Europe"

Cherki Fan Page

@Emman60350Felix

@TouchlineX This guy is not supposed to be playing in mls 🫶 he’s too good for this league , he deserves to play in Europe

Other fans reacted below:

FCBMak

@fcbmak10

@TouchlineX Absolute class from him today

Daniel Palomo

@Palomo__Daniel

@Intermiamicfhub He finally came through and lived up to his potential. The reason why they signed him lol 👍🏼

Inter Miami News Hub

@Intermiamicfhub

🚨BREAKING: We are officially accepting Tadeo Allende apology forms — and we’ll gladly be the first to sign. Tadeo Allende, we’re sorry… we simply weren’t familiar with your game. 🤩🙌🏻

OGi 🐐

@BCNOgi

This Allende dude is the greatest striker Messi's ever played with

FC Barcelona Fans Nation

@fcbfn_live

Tadeo Allende celebrates with Lionel Messi after scoring Inter Miami’s second goal in the 2025 MLS Eastern Conference Final! 💥🔥 The apprentice and the master — pure passion and connection on the biggest stage of the season. 💗⚽️

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How did Lionel Messi fare during Inter Miami's 5-1 win over New York City FC?

Lionel Messi won the 47th trophy of his iconic career, and his third trophy for Inter Miami after helping the Herons defeat New York City 5-1 in the Eastern Conference final.

Messi had a positive impact during the game as he earned a match rating of 8.0. The 38-year-old completed 34 passes from an attempted 39 (87 percent accuracy) and created three chances, but notably did not register a shot on goal. Despite this, he has had an excellent season for Inter Miami to date, scoring 43 goals and providing 24 assists in 48 appearances across all competitions.

Lionel Messi and Co. will next face the winner of San Diego FC and Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup final on December 6.

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Disclaimer: The above stats were taken from FotMob on November 30 at 9:30 AM IST. They are subject to change.