VIDEO: 'The ghost of Jordi Alba was there!' - Lionel Messi goes viral for rare misplaced pass in latest Inter Miami outing

In a career defined by surgical passing and unparalleled vision, Messi was in the spotlight for the wrong reasons after Inter Miami's 2-2 draw with the side from Texas. During the clash at the Nu Stadium, the legendary forward suffered a momentary lapse when he released a ball down the left flank into completely empty space. As Messi looked to spark an attack, he played a weighted ball toward the touchline expecting an overlapping run that never came. The ball rolled harmlessly out of play while his team-mates looked on in confusion.

The bizarre moment led to instant comparisons to Messi's long-term partnership with the veteran Spanish defender. The commentator covering the match summed up the sentiment perfectly, joking that "the ghost of Jordi Alba was over there" as the ball trickled into the vacant space where the full-back used to reside. Alba, who shared nine trophy-laden years with Messi at Barcelona before joining him in Florida in 2023, called time on his professional career end of last year. However, it seems that nearly a decade of telepathic understanding between the two has left Messi with habits that are proving difficult to break in the post-Alba era.

Supporters were quick to point out that the error was likely a result of deep-seated muscle memory rather than a decline in ability. Social media was flooded with reactions, with one fan noting on X that "Messi misses Alba for real," while another suggested the captain simply "forgot Alba retired for a moment". The sentiment was echoed throughout the digital space, with users commenting that "muscle memory is real" and joking that the superstar was "out here passing to ghosts".

The draw leaves Inter Miami in fourth place in the league table with 11 points from six matches, just two points behind leaders Nashville SC. Messi and his team-mates will next face the New York Red Bulls on Sunday.