Lionel Messi may not have found the joy he hoped for at the FIFA Club World Cup, but he has been nothing short of unstoppable in Major League Soccer.
The Inter Miami superstar continued his remarkable run of form with another brace, this time against Nashville, taking his tally to five consecutive MLS matches with at least two goals. At 38 years old, Messi is now rewriting his own records.
Before the Club World Cup, Messi had already scored twice each against CF Montréal and Columbus Crew. On his return to the league, he maintained that rhythm by bagging braces against Montréal again, New England Revolution, and now Nashville.
His two goals against New England on Thursday saw him become the first player in MLS history to score at least twice in four successive matches. That record was broken again today as he notched a fifth straight brace.
In his last five MLS appearances, Messi has scored 10 goals and assisted four more. This sparkling form has helped Inter Miami win all five of those matches. David Beckham’s club has now climbed to fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 38 points. League leaders Philadelphia Union are five points ahead, but Miami have played three matches fewer, which keeps them firmly in the race for the Supporters’ Shield.
Messi’s performances continue to amaze his coach Javier Mascherano. The Argentine, once a teammate of Messi for both Barcelona and Argentina, said he is stunned by the forward’s consistency and drive at this stage of his career.
“He keeps doing his job unbelievably well. It feels like he breaks a record every three days,” Mascherano said after Miami’s 2–1 win over Nashville. “He is our leader, our inspiration, and he sets the tone for how competitive we are as a team. It is truly a blessing to be part of this chapter in his career.”
Remarkably, this is not the first time Messi has scored multiple goals in five or more consecutive matches. In late 2012, he netted braces in six straight La Liga games for Barcelona against Mallorca, Real Zaragoza, Levante, Athletic Bilbao, Real Betis, and Atlético Madrid. Barcelona won all six, and Messi ended the 2012–13 season with 60 goals in 50 matches across all competitions.
Inter Miami’s next MLS fixture is against FC Cincinnati in the early hours of Wednesday, Bangladesh time. Another two-goal performance from Messi in that match would allow him to match his historic run from 2012.
Messi also scored from a free-kick in today’s match, taking his tally from direct free-kicks to 69. The all-time record stands at 78, held by former Brazilian attacking midfielder Marcelinho Carioca. Messi now needs just 10 more to surpass that mark and claim yet another world record.