FSU women’s soccer recreates viral Lionel Messi photo after title win

Florida State women’s soccer team had a Messi moment after capturing the program’s fifth national title.

No. 3 seed Florida State defeated No. 1 overall seed Stanford 1-0 in the Women’s College Cup on Monday at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The game-winner came in the 87th minute off the foot of sophomore Wrianna Hudson, who was named the Offensive Most Outstanding Player. Freshman goalkeeper Kate Ockene earned Defensive Most Outstanding Player honors after recording a career-high nine saves for the clean sheet.

Following the win, Florida State leaned on soccer legend Lionel Messi for inspiration.

A photo shared on social media showed Florida State junior defender Mimi Van Zanten sound asleep next to the 2025 NCAA Championship Trophy, the program’s third in five years. Van Zanten donned a national championship hat in the photo, in addition to a piece of the soccer goal she cut down after the win.

‘Night night Noles,’ Florida State captioned the shot.

The image channels a celebratory photo Messi took with the FIFA World Cup trophy in December 2022 after leading Argentina to its first World Cup victory in 36 years.

Florida State weathered an offensive attack from Stanford, which entered Monday’s championship with a nation-best 96 goals, 25 more than the next closest team. By halftime, the Cardinal registered 11 total shots with six on the goal, while Florida State had only four total shots and none on goal.

Ockene kept the Seminoles in the match with save after save, including a spectacular leap to deny a header from Stanford’s Eleanor Klinger at the 8th minute. The play earned her the No. 4 spot on ESPN’s ‘SportsCenter’ and kudos from Florida State head coach Brian Penskey, who called her ‘the MVP of this match. She kept us in the game. That’s what great goalkeepers have to do.’

Ockene’s nine saves were one short of tying Florida State’s record for saves in an NCAA Tournament game.

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