The end was abrupt and painful. On Saturday night in South Florida, the locker room was somber. And somewhere amid the haze of the biggest upset in Major League Soccer history, a startling reality set in: Lionel Messi will enter the final guaranteed year of his MLS contract without a single playoff series victory.

Speculation over Lionel Messi's future with Inter Miami has intensified following the team's early playoff exit and the controversy surrounding their unearned entry into the 2025 Club World Cup.

David Beckham's Inter Miami were eliminated from the MLS Cup Playoffs by Atlanta United on Saturday evening, despite a rare headed goal from Lionel Messi