Lionel Messi ended up being the lone brilliant spot for Inter Miami within the 2–1 defeat to Nashville SC on Saturday in Recreation 2 of the MLS first-round playoffs. Regardless of the loss, his objective helped the Argentine legend set yet one more unimaginable document in Main League Soccer.
In a strong defensive show, Nashville neutralized Inter Miami’s assault, together with Messi, who struggled to make an affect within the remaining third and didn’t register his first shot on the right track till the 86th minute. Within the 89th, Messi acquired the ball contained in the field and unleashed a thunderous strike to shorten the scoreline for the Herons. Whereas it wasn’t sufficient to tug off the comeback, the objective allowed the ahead to achieve a historic milestone.
By scoring in opposition to Nashville, Lionel Messi turned the primary MLS participant to web 40 objectives throughout all competitions in a single calendar 12 months. His 2025 whole surpasses his document of 23 objectives within the 2024 season, in addition to his debut 2023 marketing campaign, when he scored 11 in simply half a season.
Messi reached the mark over 45 video games throughout 5 competitions this 12 months: CONCACAF Champions Cup (5 objectives), Leagues Cup (2 objectives), FIFA 2025 Membership World Cup (1 objective), and MLS (29 regular-season objectives and three playoff objectives).
Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF battles for possession with Jeisson Palacios #4 of Nashville SC.
The earlier document was held by Carlos Vela, who scored 38 objectives for Los Angeles FC in 2019, and it was later tied by Dénis Bouanga in 2023. The Gabonese striker at the moment has 30 objectives in 2025, however Messi’s 40 objectives put him far out of attain.
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Inter Miami extremely depending on Messi
Messi’s function at Inter Miami goes past scoring. The Argentine additionally leads the workforce in assists with 19, serving as the first playmaker. Nonetheless, Nashville’s technique to neutralize him highlighted simply how reliant the Herons are on their celebrity.
Over Inter Miami’s final 5 matches, spanning the tip of the MLS common season and the 2 playoff video games performed, the workforce scored 16 objectives, with Messi straight concerned in 13 of them: eight objectives and 5 assists, underscoring his central function within the workforce’s offense.
All through the 2025 marketing campaign, Messi has scored in 25 totally different matches throughout all competitions. Curiously, Saturday’s loss to Nashville marked solely the second defeat the workforce has suffered in these video games. With a document of 21 wins and two attracts, the Boys in Gold uncovered that containing Messi is vital for opponents, a method that might show essential for Recreation 3 on Saturday, November eighth.
