Lionel Messi scored a brilliant goal for Inter Miami, giving his team a crucial lead in the race for second place in the Eastern Conference against Atlanta United in the penultimate match of the MLS regular season.
Inter Miami are no longer in contention for the Supporters’ Shield, which went to the Philadelphia Union this season after the Herons lifted it last year. However, Javier Mascherano’s side is determined to finish as high as possible in the standings to secure home-field advantage in most of their playoff games.
That’s why this match carried major importance for Inter Miami — and it’s also the reason Argentina’s coaching staff decided to leave Messi out of the friendly against Venezuela, allowing him to stay with his club for this crucial game.
With Messi on the field, it was always going to be tough to keep him off the scoresheet. After a ball recovery by Baltasar Rodriguez, the midfielder found his compatriot with a smart pass, and Messi fired a brilliant left-footed strike inside the box — leaving Jayden Hibbert with no chance to make the save.
But that wouldn’t be all from Messi on the night. With just four minutes left on the clock, Jordi Alba delivered a brilliant assist — reminiscent of their Barcelona days — allowing Messi to control the ball and fire home Inter Miami’s fourth and final goal.
With this win, Inter Miami draw level with FC Cincinnati for second place on 62 points but hold a superior goal difference with one game remaining in the regular season.
Messi chasing back-to-back MVP honors
Inter Miami’s captain is putting together a spectacular MLS season. With his latest goal, he now stands alone atop the league’s scoring chart with 26 goals—two ahead of LAFC’s Denis Bouanga. As if that weren’t enough, he also ranks second in assists with 17, just one behind Anders Dreyer’s 18.
Thanks to Inter Miami’s strong campaign, Messi has emerged as a leading contender for the league’s MVP award. If he wins, he would become the first player in MLS history to claim the honor in back-to-back seasons.