Lionel Messi is but a week into his 2025 season and already bossing overmatched opponents in Major League Soccer.
He has played three official games against MLS foes this year; he has scored or created four goals, including a banger Tuesday night against Sporting Kansas City.
He has starred in sub-zero temperatures and at home in South Florida, in the CONCACAF Champions Cup and in league play, at full strength and with his team down to 10 men. He has wriggled out of throngs of defenders, caressed clever passes, and found the back of the net with both feet.
He is 37 years old, going on 38 in June, but his early exploits have left little doubt: In Year 21 of his professional career, the GOAT’s still got it.
There are caveats, because there are always caveats in February in MLS. Messi’s legs are fresh, much fresher than they’ll be come fall. And his 2025 sample size is still very small.
Oh, and his opponent in two of the three games, Sporting KC, appears to be dreadful. It left Messi free at the top of the box Tuesday and timidly allowed him to line up his half-volley. A half-hour later, it conceded a comical third goal to Luis Suárez, via a sliced clearance and a ghosted header. Inter Miami won the two-leg knockout tie 4-1, with ease, and will advance to play Jamaican club Cavalier in the Round of 16.
On Saturday, New York City FC also lost track of Messi. But at some point, fixating on mistakes is silly; the common theme here, the thread connecting all the caveats, is the man who is punishing all these flawed foes.
Against NYCFC, all he needed was a slight turn of a defender’s head, and a slight lapse in concentration; Messi sprinted behind that defender, took a Jordi Alba pass in stride, and dished his first assist of the campaign less than five minutes into it.
Inter Miami spent most of that game laboring after Tomás Avilés saw red in the 23rd minute. NYCFC had its way with the MLS Cup favorites, and took a 2-1 lead midway through the second half. The visitors really should have won by multiple goals, given their numerical advantage.
Instead, in the 100th minute, Messi drove into a pocket of space and did Messi things.
He also earned a yellow card for going at a ref. He earned a fine for grabbing the neck of an NYCFC assistant coach. He is playing with an edge, just like he did in Qatar, just like he has when at his best throughout his peerless career — including here in the United States.
In 2024, he won MVP despite missing half the MLS season. In 2025, if his health holds up, and his schedule stays manageable, he could obliterate all sorts of league records.
And by the end of it, he’ll be six months away from a sixth World Cup. He has not yet committed to playing through 2026. But if he’s playing like this, he’ll be plenty capable.
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