‘We suffer when Messi doesn’t feel secure’

Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino slammed his star-studded team's mentality on Saturday after a brutal 4-0 thrashing by New York Red Bulls.

Miami, missing the injured Lionel Messi, were torn apart at New York's Red Bull Arena as former Inter player Lewis Morgan scored a superb hat-trick.

While Martino accepted his share of the blame for the mauling, the veteran coach pointed the finger at his players, who included high-profile signings Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

"There is not much to say, except that we were outmatched from start to finish," Martino said following the drubbing. "Red Bulls had the desire to win and we had no desire to compete.

"When a team enters a game without the desire to win, without spirit, without competing, and the other side just want to win the game, they are going to win it."

Martino meanwhile refused to blame the absence of Messi for the loss, noting that the team had produced a 3-1 victory at D.C. United last week without the Argentina superstar.

"The absence of the best player in the world is important for everyone -- but last week with D.C. Leo didn't play either," Martino said.

Earlier, former Miami player Morgan had run Martino's side ragged with a brilliant man-of-the-match performance.

Scotland international Morgan, who arrived in Major League Soccer four years ago after stints with Celtic, St. Mirren and Sunderland, fired New York into the lead after just three minutes.

A lacklustre Miami, meanwhile, barely created a chance in the opening 45 minutes, with a curling Suarez shot that flew wide after 27 minutes their most threatening opportunity.

Morgan then doubled New York's lead six minutes into the second half, pouncing on a clever assist by Dante Vanzeir to make it 2-0.

The Scottish forward was then instrumental in creating New York's third on 66 minutes, showing tremendous hustle to keep the ball in play wide on the left before squaring into the area.

Vanzeir helped the cross along and Venezuelan forward Wikelman Carmona tucked away the finish.

Morgan completed his hat-trick four minutes later to cap a sweeping New York counter-attack after more good work from Vanzeir.

Vanzeir was involved once more, shrugging off a feeble challenge from Noah Allen down the right flank and then rolling an inviting low cross into he path of Morgan, who made no mistake.

The wins left New York level on 10 points with Columbus Crew and Miami at the top of the Eastern Conference. Columbus are in first place on goal difference, with Miami second.

In other early MLS games on Saturday, New England Revolution won their first point of the season after battling to a 1-1 draw with Chicago Fire.

Nacho Gil's goal in first-half stoppage time earned a share of the points for the Revs, who had fallen behind to a Hugo Cuypers goal after 20 minutes.

Lionel Messi will not consider his age as a deciding factor in his retirement plans, the Argentine forward said, adding that he has no clear idea of what he will do when that time comes.

Messi, who played for 17 years at Barcelona before signing for Paris St Germain in 2021 and Inter Miami last year, will turn 37 in under three months but knows for sure that his age will not determine when it is time to hang up his boots.

"I know that the moment I feel that I am no longer performing, that I am no longer enjoying it or helping my teammates (I will retire)," Messi told the Big Time podcast in an interview published on Wednesday.

"I am very self-critical. I know when I am doing well, when I am not, when I play well and when I play poorly. When I feel it's time to take that step, I will do it without thinking about age.

"If I feel good, I will try to continue competing because it's what I like and what I know how to do."

Asked whether he had started to think about what he does next, the record eight-times Ballon D'Or winner had no straight answer.

"I haven't thought about it yet. For now, I try to enjoy each day, each moment, without thinking about the future. I don't have anything clear yet," Messi said.

"I hope to keep playing for a while longer, because that's what I enjoy. When the time comes, I will surely find the path to what fulfils me and what I like, and a new role."

Messi missed Argentina's friendlies against El Salvador and Costa Rica in the United States this month due to a hamstring injury.

Lionel Messi scored after coming off the bench but his Inter Miami were held to a 2-2 draw by the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer on Saturday.

The Argentine had been out of action for almost a month with a hamstring injury, missing the last four games, but was named among the substitutes for the home game.

Messi missed Wednesday's 2-1 home defeat to Mexico's Monterrey in the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter-final and with the return game on Wednesday, Inter coach Gerard Martino rotated his squad.

Martino fielded a heavily second-string line-up with Messi's former Barcelona team-mates Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba also on the bench.

The youthful line-up looked comfortable, without threatening too often, but fell behind on the stroke of half-time when defender Ryan Sailor lunged into a rash challenge in the box on Colorado's French forward Kevin Cabral.

The Rapids' Brazilian forward Rafael Navarro drilled home the penalty to give Colorado a 1-0 lead at the break.

Messi was brought on after the interval and made an instant impact.

After just 12 minutes on the field, the Argentine World Cup-winner brought Miami level when Franco Negri crossed low from the left and Messi fired home off the inside of the post.

Busquets was then introduced and Miami took the lead on the hour -- Messi bursting forward from midfield, feeding David Ruiz down the right and his cross was coolly converted by debutant Leonardo Afonso.

Messi then brought a fine save out of Colorado's former Manchester City goalkeeper Zack Steffen and then from a tight angle at the back post, struck the woodwork.

But the third goal never arrived and Miami paid the price in the 88th minute when Calvin Harris lead a counter-attack down the right and found Cole Bassett who slotted home the equaliser.

The New England Revolution are on track to break a 22-year-old attendance record when Lionel Messi and Inter Miami visit on April 27.

The Revs announced Wednesday that more than 60,000 tickets already have been sold, leaving fewer than 5,000 still available for the match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

New England's current attendance record is 61,316, established for the 2002 MLS Cup when the Los Angeles Galaxy posted a 1-0 win over the Revolution.

Messi's attendance is not guaranteed. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has missed Miami's last two MLS matches due to a hamstring injury.

Messi, 36, has recorded three goals and one assist in three MLS matches this season. The Argentina international signed with Inter Miami last July.

Lionel Messi said that he would have retired from international football if Argentina had not won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. 

Messi led Argentina to their third world title when they beat France in an epic penalty shootout in the final of the 2022 World Cup. He was awarded the Golden Ball as he amassed a staggering seven goals and three assists during the tournament, scoring in each knockout round -- having never done so in his international career before Qatar -- with his most memorable contribution being his brace in a dramatic final in Lusail. 

During a recent interview with the Big Time podcast, Messi said that he probably would no longer be playing for the national side had the result of the 2022 World Cup had gone any differently, 

"Winning the World Cup was magical for us, our families, and the whole country, it will stay with us for the rest of our lives. I would probably have left the national team if we didn't win the World Cup, but luckily it happened and we gave Argentina another title," Messi said.

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Age won't determine when I retire: Messi

However, soon-to-be 37 Messi, who now plays for Major League Soccer club Inter Miami, also mentioned that he will retire from the game "without thinking about age".  

Messi also talked about his exit from Barcelona, which he followed up by joining PSG.

"It was difficult to leave for PSG, because I was doing very well at Barcelona and I was thinking of staying there. I wasn't ready to leave, it all happened very quickly, I had to rebuild my life from one day to the next," he said.

"I got to know another league, another club, a new dressing room. It was a change that we weren't looking for and that's why it was difficult at first." 

Messi missed Argentina's latest friendlies against El Salvador and Costa Rica in the United States this month due to a hamstring injury.