Lionel Messi scored considered one of Inter Miami’s targets within the 3-1 victory over Seattle Sounders, serving to his workforce safe three key factors whereas additionally reaching a private milestone in Main League Soccer that has solely been matched by a couple of stars, together with Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The Argentine ahead had confronted criticism final week after lacking a penalty towards Charlotte FC, which contributed to a tricky 3-0 loss. Nonetheless, he shortly bounced again with a robust efficiency on Tuesday at Chase Stadium, the place he scored a aim and assisted Jordi Alba.
With that aim, Messi reached 20 for the season and have become considered one of solely 5 gamers in MLS historical past to attain at the very least that many in two consecutive seasons. Earlier than him, the one ones to do it had been Josef Martinez, David Villa, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Denis Bouanga.
Villa scored 24 targets in each 2016 and 2017 whereas enjoying for New York Metropolis FC through the ultimate stretch of his profession. Martinez netted 31 and 27 targets for Atlanta United in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Throughout the identical interval because the Venezuelan striker, Ibrahimovic starred for LA Galaxy with 22 and 30 targets in back-to-back years.
Ibrahimovic performed two seasons for LA Galaxy.
The newest participant to perform this feat earlier than Messi was Bouanga, who scored 20 targets for Los Angeles FC in 2023 and 2024. The Gabonese participant is near repeating the achievement for a 3rd time, having already scored 18 targets this season with a number of matches nonetheless to play.
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MLS 2025 TV Schedule USA and Streaming Hyperlinks
Messi’s targets for Inter Miami
The 2025 marketing campaign marks Messi’s third season in MLS. His first can barely be counted, as he arrived late in 2023 and performed solely six matches, scoring as soon as. His first full yr was 2024, by which he led Inter Miami to the Supporters’ Defend title by scoring 20 targets in 19 video games.
This season, Leo has had much more involvement: he has already performed in 21 matches and has a number of extra forward. To date, he sits second on the MLS prime scorer checklist with 20 targets, only one behind Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge.
all competitions in 2025 — together with MLS, the Concacaf Champions Cup, FIFA Membership World Cup, and Leagues Cup — Messi has scored 28 targets in 36 appearances for Inter Miami. On prime of that, he’s additionally added two extra targets with the Argentina nationwide workforce.
Messi pulls forward of Cristiano Ronaldo
The aim towards Seattle Sounders additionally helped Messi surpass Cristiano Ronaldo in a selected stat. The Argentine ahead turned the youngest participant in soccer historical past to succeed in 880 profession targets, reaching the mark at 38 years and 84 days outdated, after 1,122 matches.
Earlier than Leo, solely Ronaldo had reached that milestone. Nonetheless, the Portuguese striker did so at an older age (39 years and 54 days) and wanted extra video games (1,214). At the moment, CR7 has 943 targets and remains to be chasing the 1,000-goal mark.
