Lionel Messi continued his exceptional form on Saturday, August 29, leading Inter Miami to a commanding 7-1 victory over CF Montreal. The 39-year-old forward, who recently recorded 15 goal contributions in his last nine MLS matches and eight goals and four assists during Argentina’s 2026 FIFA World Cup final run, dominated the pitch with a four-goal performance.
The scoring began with Casemiro, who joined the Herons on a free transfer after leaving Manchester United this summer, netting the opener in the 20th minute. With the match leveled at 1-1, Messi took control in the 40th minute, curling a free-kick from the right flank that deflected off defender Luca Petrasso and goalkeeper Thomas Gillier into the net. He added a second goal in the 52nd minute, dribbling past three defenders before sweeping the ball home.
The Argentine icon then turned provider, setting up Luis Suarez for Miami’s fourth goal in the 80th minute. Messi quickly returned to the scoresheet, chipping the ball over Gillier in the 83rd minute. After Alexander Shaw extended the lead to 6-1 in the 89th minute, Messi completed his haul in stoppage time (90+6′) by curling a second free-kick into the side netting.
Following the match, Casemiro praised his teammate’s performance, telling Apple TV, “He remains the best.” The Brazilian midfielder, who witnessed the display firsthand, noted the significance of Messi’s impact as the team pushes toward the end of the season. Inter Miami currently sits second in the Eastern Conference with 42 points from 22 games, trailing leaders Nashville by 10 points.
With this performance, Messi has tallied 18 goals and 10 assists in 19 MLS appearances this season. The club, which won the MLS Cup in 2025, is aiming for another deep postseason run. Inter Miami will look to maintain this momentum in their next fixture against Atlanta United, scheduled for Saturday, September 5. The report also notes that with the game tied at 1-1, Inter Miami was awarded a free-kick on the right flank (40′). The report also notes that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner then showed incredible skill to dribble past three defenders inside the box and sweep the ball into the net (52′). The report also notes that the talisman then set up Luis Suarez for Miami’s fourth on the night (80′) before adding another to his tally with a sublime chipped finish over Gillier (83′). The report also notes that alexander Shaw’s goal (89′) made it 6-1 to the Herons on the night before they were awarded another free-kick in the dying embers of the game (90+6′). The report also notes that the Florida-based outfit will be hoping to repeat their MLS Cup-winning heroics from the 2025 campaign, with Messi catching fire towards the business end of the season.
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