The 38-year-old guided Inter Miami to a 2-1 win over Nashville SC, scoring both goals.
📸 Leonardo Fernandez – 2025 Getty Images
Miami came into the match six points behind Nashville in the Eastern Conference, having played three fewer matches.
Less than 20 minutes in, Messi opened the scoring with a well-placed free-kick which slid past the goalkeeper’s outstretched arms and nestled into the bottom-left corner.
Following Nashville’s equaliser, Messi intercepted a pass from the goalkeeper and scored his 16th league goal of the season, putting him joint-top of the MLS golden boot race.
The Argentine is arguably enjoying the best form of his Inter Miami career, scoring a brace in each of his last five MLS matches, setting a league record.
This week, however, Messi’s output was matched by Anders Dreyer who scored a brace of his own in San Diego’s 2-1 win over the Chicago Fire.
Dreyer leads the league with 26 goal contributions, propelling San Diego to the top of the Western Conference in their first MLS season.
While Dreyer’s brace against Chicago proved just as decisive, it is Messi’s free-kick and incredible consistency that give him the edge.
However, given Messi and Dreyer’s performances, it will be fascinating to see how the MLS MVP race unfolds.
📸 CHANDAN KHANNA – AFP or licensors
Read the full article here