At 38, Lionel Messi continues to do what few thought potential—reinvent himself even after reaching soccer immortality. In a match the place Argentina confronted Puerto Rico in Fort Lauderdale, the Inter Miami star as soon as once more commanded the pitch along with his signature composure, creativity, and command. This time, the world champions’ captain didn’t discover the online however nonetheless produced a second of historical past that positioned him forward of his former Barcelona and PSG teammate Neymar and USMNT legend Landon Donovan, marking one more chapter in a profession that defies each period.
Underneath the humid lights of Chase Stadium, Argentina confirmed why it stays probably the most full groups in world soccer. Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring within the 14th minute, flicking residence a rebound after Messi’s strike had rattled the crossbar. Moments later, the captain produced a trademark chipped cross into the field, completely weighted for Gonzalo Montiel, who volleyed residence the nation’s second.
By the thirty sixth minute, Mac Allister struck once more to make it 3-0 after a sweeping transfer that started with Messi deep in midfield and ended with a cool end contained in the field. At the same time as Argentina managed the tempo, Emiliano Martinez was known as upon to make a number of saves, making certain a clear sheet.
After the break, Lionel Scaloni launched Lautaro Martinez and handed debuts to younger gamers like Rivero and Moreno. The scoring continued when Puerto Rico defender Steven Echevarria turned a Nico Gonzalez effort into his personal internet, earlier than Lautaro grabbed two late targets — each assisted by Messi, who appeared to dictate each second of Argentina’s assault.
The ultimate rating: Argentina 6-0 Puerto Rico, one other commanding efficiency from the reigning world champions, who proceed to arrange confidently for the 2026 World Cup.
The hidden milestone: Messi’s new worldwide report
Whereas the match itself was a one-sided exhibition of expertise, the night time’s true significance got here halfway by means of the second half. Together with his second help — a intelligent backheel that discovered Lautaro Martinez for Argentina’s fifth — Messi formally turned the participant with essentially the most assists in males’s worldwide soccer historical past, reaching 60 in whole.
That quantity moved him previous Neymar (59) and Landon Donovan (58), each of whom beforehand shared the report. It’s one other breathtaking reminder of his twin legacy: not simply as a finisher, however as an architect of numerous targets for these round him.
His first help in an Argentina shirt got here almost twenty years in the past — throughout the 2006 World Cup — when he arrange Hernan Crespo in a 6-0 win over Serbia and Montenegro. Nineteen years later, the script repeated itself in the identical scoreline, totally different continent, similar protagonist.
Profession past comparability
At the same time as he nears 40, Messi’s numbers proceed to soar. He now sits simply two assists shy of 400 throughout his total profession — membership and worldwide mixed — and already owns information for most targets for Argentina (106), most targets in a calendar yr (91 in 2012), and most targets for a single membership (672 for Barcelona).
Past the statistics, Messi’s artistry stays intact. His skill to learn area, anticipate motion, and ship the decisive contact continues to separate him from everybody else — together with his outdated rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who simply days earlier set his personal world report for World Cup qualifying targets.
