Messi scores twice and provides an assist: A perfect 10, making MLS history
Lionel Messi etched his name into Major League Soccer (MLS) history after scoring a brace and delivering an assist to lead Inter Miami to a 3-2 home victory over DC United.
A dazzling display from Messi against DC United.
Amid reports from sources close to Inter Miami that Messi is preparing to extend his contract at least until the end of next year, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner showed exactly why David Beckham’s club and the entire MLS are eager to keep him. The Argentine superstar shone brightly with two goals and one assist, propelling Inter Miami closer to a spot in the MLS Cup playoffs.
Messi becomes fastest player in MLS history to reach 70 goal contributions
Messi provided a turning point with a sublime long pass to Tadeo Allende, who opened the scoring in the first half, before deciding the match himself with two second-half goals. Unsurprisingly, the Argentine star was named Man of the Match and earned a perfect 10 rating from Sofascore.
Messi has now tallied 22 goals in 22 MLS appearances this season. With his seventh brace, the 38-year-old surpassed Nashville’s Sam Surridge (21 goals) to take sole possession of the Golden Boot race lead—despite playing 803 fewer minutes than Surridge. On top of that, Messi also climbed to joint-fourth in the MLS assists chart this season with 12.
🎉 Historic milestone
Messi has now recorded 70 goals and assists in MLS after just 46 matches, becoming the fastest player ever to reach this mark. The previous record belonged to Carlos Vela, who needed 55 matches to hit 70 goal contributions in 2019.
Messi is building a strong case to become the first player in MLS history to win the Landon Donovan MVP Award in back-to-back seasons.
Across his career, Messi has scored 882 goals, including 102 from outside the box, and provided 391 assists. The 2022 World Cup champion is just 27 goal contributions away from reaching 1,300, while no other player has ever surpassed 1,200.
👏 Mascherano heaps praise on Messi
After the match, Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano said:
“It was just another completely normal night with Messi. Having Messi is an advantage, and our job is to maximize it.”
The win over DC United lifted Inter Miami to 5th place in the MLS Eastern Conference standings with 52 points, keeping alive their hopes of defending the Supporters’ Shield. Beckham’s team now trails New York City (4th) by only one point and leaders Philadelphia Union by 8.
