The end was abrupt and painful. On Saturday night in South Florida, the locker room was somber. And somewhere amid the haze of the biggest upset in Major League Soccer history, a startling reality set in: Lionel Messi will enter the final guaranteed year of his MLS contract without a single playoff series victory.

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.

David Beckham's Inter Miami were eliminated from the MLS Cup Playoffs by Atlanta United on Saturday evening, despite a rare headed goal from Lionel Messi