De Paul confronts Robert Lewandowski and uses Messi's famous phrase: "Who are you, idiot?"

I nter Miami and Chicago Fire played out a tense 1-1 draw at Soldier Field on Wednesday night, but the most talked-about moment came in the closing stages when Rodrigo De Paul became involved in a confrontation with Robert Lewandowski .

The match already featured plenty of star power, with Lionel Messi , De Paul and Casemiro representing Inter Miami , while former Barcelona and Bayern Munich striker Lewandowski led the line for Chicago.

Lewandowski made the first major contribution of the evening, putting Chicago ahead after just 10 minutes.

The Polish striker finished brilliantly after Andrew Gutman 's delivery found him at the back post, continuing his impressive start to life in Major League Soccer.

Inter Miami eventually responded shortly after the interval. Messi delivered a dangerous corner and Casemiro rose to head the ball into the net in the 48th minute, making it three consecutive games in which the Brazilian midfielder had scored.

Inter Miami 's official match report confirmed the 1-1 scoreline and Casemiro's equalizer.

The result left the teams separated by five points in the Eastern Conference, with Miami taking a point from a difficult away fixture while Chicago extended its unbeaten run.

However, the action took a more confrontational turn late in the match.

Lewandowski became involved in a physical exchange with Inter Miami defender Ian Fray in the 89th minute. The pair initially bumped into one another as play was about to restart, with tensions quickly escalating.

Fray went down after Lewandowski pushed him, before getting back to his feet and responding with a stronger push of his own.

Although Fray returned toward the penalty area to resume his defensive duties, Lewandowski appeared unwilling to simply walk away from the incident.

The Polish striker went back toward Fray, and that was when De Paul intervened.

De Paul brings his Argentina pedigree into the confrontation

De Paul has developed a reputation as one of the more combative personalities on the pitch, and he immediately stepped into the dispute to defend his teammate.

The Inter Miami midfielder and Lewandowski subsequently went face-to-face before the confrontation eventually cooled. The two could then be seen exchanging words.

Marca reported that De Paul allegedly said to Lewandowski: "Who the hell are you, you fool? I won two Copa Américas and a World Cup, you?"

The reported comment immediately drew attention because of its similarity to one of Lionel Messi 's most famous confrontations.

Messi's "¿Qué mirás, bobo? ¿Qué mirás, bobo? Andá pa' allá, bobo" exchange with Netherlands forward Wout Weghorst during the 2022 World Cup became an iconic moment from Argentina's victorious campaign.

De Paul was part of that Argentina team and has also won the Copa América twice with the national side. Inter Miami themselves highlighted those achievements when announcing his arrival, describing him as a World Cup champion and two-time Copa América winner.

The midfielder's relationship with Messi is also well established. De Paul has been one of the captain's most trusted teammates for Argentina and now plays alongside him at club level in Miami.

That background adds another layer to the reported exchange with Lewandowski, although the exact words attributed to De Paul have not been independently confirmed by Inter Miami or the players involved.

The reaction from fans was divided, with some questioning whether De Paul had the standing to challenge a player with Lewandowski's extraordinary scoring record.

One fan said: 'How do you ask who he is to a guy who's 7th on the list of all-time top goalscorers in football history?'

A second said: 'De Paul isn't even the fingernail of Lewandowski in the history of football', while a third commented: 'De Paul should show Lewandowski some respect because they are not on the same level.'

Lewandowski , however, had already made his presence felt on the field. His goal against Miami continued a strong opening spell with Chicago, while his experience at the highest level of European football remains one of the biggest attractions surrounding his move to MLS.

For Miami, the draw was another result in a period of mixed form. The club recently appointed Cristian "Kily" Gonzalez as its new manager, although Guillermo Hoyos has remained in interim charge while Gonzalez waits for the necessary U.S. work permits.

Messi also remains central to Miami's ambitions. The Argentine recently returned to club action after announcing his retirement from international football, and he continues to be among MLS's leading scorers.

The 1-1 draw ultimately meant both sides had to settle for a point, but the De Paul-Lewandowski confrontation ensured the game had a dramatic ending.

Inter Miami now turn their attention to Nashville, while Chicago Fire will face the New England Revolution in their next MLS fixture.