8 months ago
Lionel Messi (38, Inter Miami) remains the "God of football," once again shaking the U.S. stage with his outstanding performance.
On July 10 (Korea Standard Time), Miami secured a 2-1 win in the 20th round of the U.S. Major League Soccer (MLS) at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Messi was unstoppable, leading Miami to victory by scoring the opening goal in the 27th minute and adding a second goal in the 38th minute of the first half.
Miami coach Javier Mascherano praised Messi's performance.
According to the U.S. sports network ESPN, Mascherano said after the game, "Messi is the best player in football history. He continues his incredible performance at the age of 38. I'm extremely lucky to be able to be with a player like Messi."
Initially, Mascherano intended to give Messi some rest due to his demanding schedule, which involves frequent travel between the Argentine national team and Inter Miami. Additionally, Miami's participation in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup sparked concerns about Messi's workload.
Mascherano explained, "I wanted to give Messi a break. However, we were under pressure as New England scored a chasing goal, so I couldn't take Messi off. I chose to keep him on the field, which led to our victory. I know I have to find the right moment to rest Messi. There are many games left, and I will analyze and discuss with the coaching staff to determine the best time to give him a break."
This season, Miami holds a record of 10 wins, 5 draws, and 3 losses (35 points) in 18 MLS Eastern Conference games, ranking fifth among 15 teams.
Miami has played three fewer games than the top four teams in the Eastern Conference due to their participation in the Club World Cup. The gap between Miami and first-place Cincinnati is seven points, a margin that can still be overcome.
Messi remains the core of Inter Miami.
This season, he has scored 14 goals and provided six assists in 15 MLS games.
Last season, Messi scored 21 goals and made 10 assists in 20 MLS games, continuing his phenomenal performance and record in the United States.
Messi is particularly dominant against New England. According to ESPN, he has scored seven goals against New England alone, the most goals scored against a single team in MLS history.
Miami will face Nashville SC on July 13 at Chase Stadium, their home ground in Florida. Messi aims to score multiple goals in five consecutive league games during this match.
Mascherano remarked, "Messi does things we never imagined—things I thought would be hard to see in soccer history a long time ago. Messi is a player who does that."
[Lee Geunseung, MK Sports Reporter]
