In a dazzling display that left fans buzzing in Miami and beyond, Lionel Messi once again proved why he’s considered one of the greatest to ever grace a soccer pitch. On October 11, 2025, Inter Miami CF hosted Atlanta United at Chase Stadium for their final home regular season match, and Messi’s magic was on full display as he scored twice, assisted once, and shattered yet another Major League Soccer record. The 4-0 victory not only boosted Inter Miami’s playoff prospects but also cemented Messi’s place atop the league’s scoring charts, sending a clear message to the rest of the MLS: the Herons are soaring into the postseason with serious momentum.
The build-up to this clash was already thick with intrigue. Inter Miami, no longer in the running for the Supporters’ Shield—claimed this year by the Philadelphia Union—was still battling fiercely for second place in the Eastern Conference. The stakes? Home-field advantage in the playoffs, a crucial edge for any team with championship ambitions. That’s why Argentina’s coaching staff made the unusual call to rest Messi for their friendly against Venezuela, allowing their captain to stay with his club. As head coach Lionel Scaloni put it, it was a tactical decision to “protect his forward” and test other players, with an eye on using Messi in the upcoming friendly against Puerto Rico in Chicago.
The result? A rested and razor-sharp Messi, ready to light up Chase Stadium. Atlanta United, mired near the bottom of the conference and fielding a depleted lineup, managed to frustrate Miami’s attack for the opening half hour. But in the 39th minute, the breakthrough arrived. Baltasar Rodriguez, showing tenacity in midfield, won the ball high up the pitch before finding Messi in the inside right channel. With a trademark touch, Messi shaped for a curling left-footed shot and bent the ball into the far corner, leaving Atlanta’s Jayden Hibbert rooted to the spot. The crowd erupted—Messi had notched his 25th goal of the regular season, reclaiming the top spot in the MLS Golden Boot race.
“No way you hate this guy if you really love football, he is just unbelievable and out of this world,” gushed one fan on social media, echoing the sentiments of millions who have watched Messi’s career unfold.
But Messi wasn’t done. Just after halftime, in the 52nd minute, it was his turn to play provider. Spotting Jordi Alba’s run, Messi launched a long, diagonal ball over the Atlanta defense. Alba, who announced he would retire at the end of the season, controlled brilliantly and chipped over the onrushing Hibbert for his sixth goal of the campaign. The assist was Messi’s 18th of the season, putting him just one behind league leader Anders Dreyer and showcasing his dual threat as both scorer and creator.
Then came Luis Suarez’s moment. In the 61st minute, after Fafa Picault’s cross was half-cleared, Suarez met it with a spectacular volley from the edge of the box, rifling the ball into the top right corner. It was his 10th goal of the season and a reminder that Inter Miami’s veteran core—Messi, Alba, Suarez, and Sergio Busquets—still has plenty left in the tank as they chase their first MLS Cup.
Atlanta, for all their early resistance, had no response to Miami’s relentless attack. And with just four minutes left, the script came full circle. Alba, returning the favor from earlier, lofted a ball over the defense. Messi, timing his run to perfection, controlled with his chest and finished coolly into the bottom corner for his 26th goal of the season. With this brace, Messi became the first player in MLS history to record nine multi-goal games in a single regular season—a record that seems destined to stand for some time.
Goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo also played his part, making three crucial saves to preserve the clean sheet and ensure Miami’s dominance was reflected in the scoreline. The win pushed Inter Miami level on points with FC Cincinnati for second place in the Eastern Conference, both sitting on 62 points, though Cincinnati holds the tiebreaker on wins. With one game left—an away trip to Nashville SC—the battle for playoff seeding remains intense, but Miami’s superior goal difference could prove decisive.
Messi’s performance wasn’t just about personal milestones. His leadership and chemistry with teammates like Alba and Suarez have transformed Inter Miami into a genuine powerhouse. Since arriving in MLS in 2023, Messi has scored 20 goals in his first full season and now, at 38, delivered a career-best 26 goals and 18 assists (with some sources listing 17 or 15 assists depending on the counting method). He’s outpaced rivals Denis Bouanga (24 goals) and Sam Surridge (23 goals) in the Golden Boot race, and with LAFC’s Bouanga away on international duty, Messi’s lead looks increasingly secure.
Defensively, Inter Miami has found stability in the center-back pairing of Maximiliano Falcon and Gonzalo Lujan, while Noah Allen and Ian Fray have stepped up in key moments. Coach Javier Mascherano has leaned on his experienced stars, maximizing the minutes of veterans like Busquets and Alba as the Herons chase their elusive first MLS Cup. The team’s strong campaign has also made Messi the clear frontrunner for the league’s MVP award. Should he win, he would be the first player in MLS history to claim back-to-back MVP honors—a testament to his enduring brilliance.
The decision to prioritize club over country, at least for one weekend, drew some raised eyebrows in Argentina but paid off handsomely for Inter Miami. Messi’s absence from the national team’s 1-0 win over Venezuela allowed him to deliver a match-winning performance for his club, keeping Miami’s playoff hopes burning bright and putting him on the verge of personal and team history. Coach Scaloni, for his part, plans to use Messi in the next friendly against Puerto Rico, ensuring that both club and country benefit from their captain’s remarkable form.
As the regular season hurtles toward its dramatic conclusion, all eyes are on “Decision Day.” Inter Miami heads to Nashville, while Cincinnati faces Montreal. The playoff picture remains unsettled, but one thing is certain: with Messi in this kind of form, anything is possible. The Herons have established themselves as a force in the Eastern Conference, and with their talisman leading the charge, dreams of the club’s first MLS Cup no longer seem far-fetched. The next chapter in this thrilling campaign is just around the corner, and if history is any guide, Messi and Miami are far from finished.
