Inter Miami FC’s superstar Lionel Messi returned to MLS pitches on Saturday after more than three months, and it was like he had never left.
Messi, who was sidelined with an ankle injury he suffered in the Copa America finals, started for Miami against Philadelphia Union and immediately made an impact. With his team down 0-1, the Argentinean scored an equalizer in the 26th minute before adding another goal just four minutes late.
The first goal was vintage Messi, with the 37-year-old forward showing off his technical skills before placing the ball in the left corner with a low shot from the top of the penalty box.
Messi ended up playing the entire match and got to assist Luis Suarez for 3-1 in extra time.
“I’m happy that (Messi) was able to play 90 minutes and that he felt good,” Inter’s head coach Tata Martino said after the game. “The rest of his story is up to (the media) to tell.”
The Union game was a continuation of Messi’s dominance in the MLS. He now has 14 goals and 14 assists in just 13 matches in 2024. Since arriving in the United States, Messi has scored 15 goals and dished 16 assists across 19 matches.
With the latest win, Inter Miami has strengthened its lead in the Eastern Conference. Martino’s team has a 19-5-4 record with an MLS-leading 62 points and is a leading favorite to lift the MLS Cup at the end of the season.
