FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Lionel Messi delivered a masterful performance on Saturday night, scoring twice and assisting on another goal, as Inter Miami dominated Atlanta United 4-0. The victory, played at Chase Stadium, saw Messi leap to the top of the MLS Golden Boot race with 26 goals, surpassing LAFC's Denis Bouanga.
Inter Miami's dominant showing secured them at least the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference and home-field advantage in the first round of the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. They are now tied with Cincinnati on 62 points, trailing Philadelphia by four points in the race for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Messi opened the scoring in the 39th minute, receiving a pass from Baltasar Rodríguez and curling a left-footed shot into the top corner of the net. Before the initial goal, Atlanta's goalkeeper, Jayden Hibbert, denied Messi on multiple attempts.
The Argentine superstar then assisted Jordi Alba in the 52nd minute, lofting a precise long ball that Alba chipped over Hibbert. Alba, who recently announced his retirement at the end of the season, was honored by the club following his final regular-season home match. Luis Suárez added a third goal in the 61st minute before Messi sealed the victory with his second goal in the 87th minute, assisted by Alba.
Messi's decision to play for his club instead of representing Argentina during the FIFA international window proved pivotal. His two goals against Atlanta marked his ninth multi-goal game this season, setting a new MLS single-season record. He surpassed the previous record held by Stern John (1998), Mamadou Diallo (2000), and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (2019).
With one regular-season match remaining against Nashville SC, Messi is now in prime position to win the Golden Boot. His 44 goal contributions (26 goals and 18 assists) rank as the second-most in a single season in MLS history, trailing only Carlos Vela's 49 in 2019. Messi is also a strong contender for the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award and could become the first player to win the award in back-to-back seasons, despite missing out on the Golden Boot in 2024.
Atlanta United, who were missing several players due to international duty and injuries, struggled to contain Inter Miami's attack. The team has been eliminated from playoff contention, and this defeat marked their third consecutive loss. Atlanta United will wrap up their 2025 campaign on October 18 against Atlanta.
Inter Miami will conclude the regular season on the road against Nashville but will return to Chase Stadium for the first-round series to kick off the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs.
