It was all lining up to be a season of perfection for Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. This season was supposed to be the final feather in Messi’s GOAT cap, and heading into the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs,

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami suffered a shock elimination in the first round of the Major League Soccer (MLS) playoffs on Saturday, losing 3-2 to No. 9 seed Atlanta United on home soil in the best-of-three series decider.

Inter Miami has played Atlanta five times this year, and won just once, 2-1 in the playoff opener at home. Atlanta beat Miami 3-1 back in May, they tied 2-2 in September, and Atlanta stunned Miami on Saturday to force Game 3 with an extra-time game winner by Xande Silva before a crowd of 68,455 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.