The internet has been buzzing with reports that Thiago Messi, son of the legendary Lionel Messi, delivered a jaw-dropping performance by scoring 11 goals in Inter Miami U-13’s supposed 12-0 win over Atlanta United’s U-13s. It’s the kind of story that almost sounds believable—after all, he is a Messi. With even a fraction of his father’s talent, it’s easy to imagine him dominating opponents.

Except, there’s just one problem: It never happened.

The rumour appears to have started on X (formerly Twitter), where a Messi fan account posted it in response to another fabricated claim—this one about Cristiano Ronaldo Jr. scoring 10 goals for Al Nassr’s U-15 team. From there, the false story spread like wildfire.

There were plenty of signs that the story was fake. The competition where Messi supposedly ran riot, the "U-13 MLS Cup," doesn’t even exist. Inter Miami’s U-13 team plays in MLS Next, competing against Florida-based opponents, and has no scheduled matches against Atlanta United.

An internet hoax

Then there’s the mystery of Diego Luna Jr, the supposed scorer of Inter Miami’s only non-Messi goal, who doesn’t appear anywhere in the club’s academy roster. Add to that the fact that U-13 MLS Next games are played in two 35-minute halves, making it physically impossible for Messi to have scored 11 goals while also leaving room for another player to get on the scoresheet, and the story completely falls apart.

Despite the obvious red flags, several outlets ran with the claim, turning what started as a social media joke into a full-blown internet hoax.

Thiago Messi may well go on to become a superstar, but this particular tale belongs in the realm of fantasy. Chalk this one up to wishful thinking and viral misinformation.

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(With inputs from agencies)