Coming off arguably the biggest sports deal in American history, Lionel Messi's move to Major League Soccer was seismic for the sport's growth in the U.S. However, the Argentine superstar's challenge at Inter Miami CF will come with bigger expectations in a year where he will compete for trophies at club and even international level, with Argentina playing in the Copa America on American soil.
Messi's Miami era couldn't have started any better. In his first two months last season, he's already helped them win one title (the Leagues Cup tournament that featured all MLS and Liga MX teams) and helped his side make the final of the U.S. Open Cup, where they lost 2-1 to the Houston Dynamo.
This season, Messi added the 2024 Supporters' Shield to his collection, helping Inter Miami lift the MLS regular season title first time in franchise history and break the all-time points record with 74. The Herons, however, stumbled at the first hurdle in the MLS playoffs, suffering a stunning first-round elimination at the hands of Atlanta United.
Messi's final tally of the season:
Games played: 24
Goals: 21
Assists: 17
Nov. 9: Inter Miami 2-3 Atlanta United
Inter Miami bowed out of the 2024 Major League Soccer playoffs after falling 3-2 against Atlanta United at Chase Stadium on Saturday night.
Messi looked to have rescued Miami when scoring a second-half equalizer, but Bartosz Slisz won the game and the series for Atlanta with a controversial 76th minute header.
The goal was scored while Miami defender Tomás Avilés was down hurt in his own penalty area, with his teammates appealing for the referee to stop the game to allow him to receive treatment.
Messi twice had chances to level the scores once more with free kicks, but on both occasions hit his efforts into the wall as Miami fell victim to arguably the biggest upset in MLS history.
Oct. 25: Inter Miami 2-1 Atlanta United
The regular season is complete and now it's time for the nitty-gritty: the MLS Cup Playoffs. Messi had his first experience playing in the playoffs as he was crucial in Inter Miami's 2-1 win over Eastern Conference wild-card winners Atlanta United.
It was a perfect start for the hosts as Luis Suárez took the lead inside two minutes. However, the visitors equalized from Saba Lobzhanidze six minutes before halftime. Nevertheless, Messi showed up again with an assist for his longtime club teammate Jordi Alba to score the winner and take advantage of the first in the best-of-three Round One series.
Game Two will now be played in Atlanta on Saturday, with Inter Miami needing only a win to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Oct. 19: Inter Miami 6-2 New England Revolution
History was made for Inter Miami in their final MLS regular match, and Messi was centerstage for all of it.
Coming in as a sub in the 58th minute with the score at 2-2, Messi assisted Benjamin Cremaschi for Miami's third goal, before scoring a hat-trick in 10 minutes to help the Supporters' Shield winners win 6-2 and go into the MLS Cup Playoffs with a lot of momentum.
And this was all coming off playing for Argentina in a 6-0 trashing against Bolivia in World Cup qualifying where he also scored three goals. With this win, Messi also became the first player in MLS history to score three goals and add one assist as a substitute in a match.
Also, Miami broke the single-season points record with 74 points, ironically set by the team they beat: the Revolution's 73 points in 2021 and FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced after the match that Tata Martino's will play in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, playing in the opening game of the tournament.
Despite only playing 19 matches of a possible 34 matches, Messi finished the regular season with 20 goals and 11 assists as all eyes will wait to see if he can win the Landon Donovan MVP Award.
Oct. 5: Toronto FC 0-1 Inter Miami
It was a quiet night for Messi, as he only played 29 minutes coming off the bench before jetting off to South America to play in Argentina's World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Bolivia.
Nevertheless, Leonardo Campana scored the game-winning goal in stoppage time to help Tata Martino's side continue their quest to have the best regular season in MLS history.
Oct. 2: Columbus Crew 2-3 Inter Miami
It was another Messi masterclass as the 37-year-old scored a brace to help Inter Miami clinch the 2024 Supporters' Shield with a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Crew on Wednesday night at Lower.com Field in Ohio.
Messi scored twice and Suárez added another as Miami held on for the win after the Crew's Rudy Camacho was sent off in the 63rd minute.
The game appeared to be headed for a deadlock at the break before the Argentine latched onto a through-ball in the 45th minute to give the Herons the lead. Messi then curled in a sumptuous free kick in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time.
Miami keeper Drake Callender saved a penalty kick from Cucho Hernández shortly before full-time to seal the three points for his team.
The 2024 Supporters' Shield is Messi's second trophy with the club, and 46th career title.
Sept. 28: Inter Miami 1-1 Charlotte FC
Lionel Messi finds the back of the net from outside the box to tie the score for Inter Miami.
After drawing blanks in his previous two games, Messi was back on the scoresheet as Miami fought to a 1-1 draw with Charlotte on Saturday.
Messi scored in the 67th minute as the Herons pushed their unbeaten streak to eight straight MLS matches. It was Messi's 15th goal in 16 league games this season.
The draw, combined with Columbus' 2-2 result with D.C. United on Saturday, left Inter Miami eight points clear of the Crew for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. The MLS single-season points record remains in the club's reach as well.
Sept. 21: New York City FC 1-1 Inter Miami
Messi made his first visit to the Bronx for Tata Martino's side in front of a sell-out crowd at Yankee Stadium as they left the Big Apple with a point, with the Argentine playing all 90 minutes.
While Messi was influential in helping set up Leonardo Campana's goal in the 75th minute, James Sands stole the headlines, as he scored in the 95th minute and denied all three points for the visitors.
Sept. 18: Atlanta 2-2 Inter Miami
Messi's first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium wearing the pink shirt was only a small cameo, as the Argentine played only 29 minutes as a sub for Julian Gressel.
The 37-year-old could not help his side capture all three points as Tata Martino's team ended up leaving Atlanta with a point, following Aleksei Miranchuk's 84th-minute goal to level the match for the Five Stripes.
Sept. 14: Inter Miami 3-1 Philadelphia Union
Messi's return to MLS action suffering a right ankle sprain during the 2024 Copa América final on July 14 could not have gone better for the Argentina legend.
The 37-year-old conjured up two goals, plus an assist for Luis Suárez, to help Inter Miami coast past the Union at Chase Stadium on Saturday night.
Messi first strike, Inter's equalizer, came in the 26th minute after some smart footwork on the edge of the area. He then doubled his tally just four minutes later, turning in Jordi Alba's sublime cross from 14 yards.
June 1: Inter Miami 3-3 St. Louis CITY SC
Lionel Messi's one-timer in the first half ties the score between Inter Miami CF and St. Louis City SC.
Messi signed off on his final MLS appearance before the Copa America with yet another goal, this time in a 3-3 draw with St. Louis on Saturday.
It was the Argentine's 12th league goal of the season, taking him one shy of the MLS lead behind Cristian Arango of Real Salt Lake and Christian Benteke of D.C. United, who both have 13. Messi's 12 have come in four fewer games than Arango (16 games) and three fewer than Benteke.
Messi's strike came courtesy of a nice one-two with Jordi Alba, who turned in a player of the match performance with two assists and the match-tying goal.
Messi will join Argentina next week on a quest to defend the Copa America title it won in 2021, and could miss at least five Inter Miami matches during the tournament.
May 29: Inter Miami 1-3 Atlanta United FC
Sergio Busquets finds Lionel Messi, who sees an opening and nets a late goal for Inter Miami to cut Atlanta United's lead.
Stop the press! A remarkable 17 games into the MLS season, on the cup of June, Inter Miami finally recorded a league loss while Messi was playing.
Atlanta United brought the streak to an end with a 3-1 win on Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Saba Lobjanidze scored a pair of goals and Jamal Thiare also tallied as Atlanta snapped a nine-match winless drought.
Not to be overshadowed, however, Messi still notched the best goal of the game -- firing in an unstoppable blast from just outside the area.
May 18: Inter Miami 1-0 D.C. United
Messi, who missed the draw at Orlando City midweek due to a knee injury suffered against Montreal, played the full 90 minutes in Inter Miami's 1-0 win over D.C. United.
In a match delayed close to 30 minutes due to the inclement weather at Chase Stadium, Messi and Miami struggled to find their attacking rhythm against a dogged and organized D.C. side.
It looked as if Miami were set to be held to a second straight scoreless draw. But Leonardo Campana, just moments after replacing Matías Rojas, struck an unstoppable effort off the underside of the crossbar following a delightful assist from Sergio Busquets in the fourth minute of added time.
May 11: Montreal Impact 2-3 Inter Miami
In his first match on Canadian soil, Messi and Inter Miami continued their fine form in league play as they had to come back from two goals down to win 3-2 against the Montreal Impact.
Despite not getting a goal or assist, the Argentine superstar played all 90 minutes as Inter Miami responded thanks in part to Matias Rojas scoring a fantastic free-kick before Luis Suarez equalizing before halftime.
Messi then helped Rojas to play a wonderful ball to Benjamin Cremaschi to score the game-winning goal and give Tata Martino's side all three points.
May 4: Inter Miami 6-2 New York Red Bulls
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez shine in the second half as Inter Miami thrashes New York Red Bulls 6-2 in MLS.
Another match, another MLS record broken.
Messi notched an MLS-record six goal contributions as Inter Miami thumped the New York Red Bulls 6-2 on Saturday in Fort Lauderdale.
The 36-year-old superstar, who was named MLS Player of the Month for the month of April, scored once and added five assists as Miami extended its unbeaten streak to six matches, snapping New York's own six-match unbeaten run in the process.
Miami scored twice in a two-minute span early in the second half to erase a 1-0 deficit. Matías Rojas was brought on for David Ruiz to start the second half and immediately made an impact, leveling the score at 1-1 in the 48th minute by putting a left-footed strike past a leaping Carlos Coronel. Messi picked up an assist on the goal. Then, in the 50th minute, Messi put a left-footed strike off a Luis Suárez pass into the back of the net for his 10th league goal of the season.
Miami took a 3-1 lead in the 62nd minute, as Rojas put a Messi through ball up and over Coronel. Suarez made it 4-1 in the 69th minute, redirecting a Messi pass for his eighth goal of the season. In the 75th minute, Suarez completed a give-and-go with Messi to make it 5-1. Suarez completed has hat trick in the 81st minute, taking a Messi through ball and getting around a diving Coronel for his 10th goal of the season.
Miami has an astonishing 6-0-2 record in MLS matches in which Messi has appeared in this season.
April 27: New England Revolution 1-4 Inter Miami
Messi and Inter Miami continued their imperious form in MLS, as the Argentine superstar scored twice in his team's 3-1 win over the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Saturday.
Messi netted coolly from close range in the 32nd and 67th minutes as Miami overcame conceding a first-minute goal to cruise to victory in front of a record home crowd for New England of 65,612.
Saturday marks the first time Messi has scored in six consecutive league games since a run of eight in January-February 2021 with Barcelona.
April 20: Inter Miami 3-1 Nashville SC
Messi continued his red-hot start to the season, scoring twice and laying on an assist for Sergio Busquets as Inter Miami came from behind to beat Nashville SC 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Saturday.
The Argentina icon lifted his tally to nine goals and eight assists in nine games in all competitions so far this season. He is also the first player since 2016 to record a goal contribution in each of his first six MLS games to start a season.
Messi's opening goal came in the 11th minute, when he finished off a goalmouth scramble after his initial effort had been saved by Nashville goalkeeper Elliot Panicco.
Messi then sealed back-to-back victories for Miami in the 81st minute. This time it came from the penalty spot, sending substitute goalkeeper Joe Willis the wrong way after Nashville defender Josh Bauer was penalized for a foul on substitute Leonardo Afonso.
The win moved Miami to 5-3-2 this season to stay top of the Eastern Conference.
April 13: Sporting Kansas City 2-3 Inter Miami
Lionel Messi lines up a superb goal from over 25 yards out for Inter Miami.
A stunning long-range strike and an assist from Messi helped Inter Miami to a 3-2 win over Sporting Kansas City in front of a record crowd of 72,610 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on Saturday.
Making his first MLS start since March 2 after overcoming a hamstring injury, Messi let fly from 25 yards with his famed left foot to give Miami the lead six minutes into the second half.
The home team, cheered on by minority owner and three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes, played its part in an entertaining evening. Erik Thommy, who also gave his team the lead after six minutes, equalized seven minutes after Messi's strike.
But Miami avoided a sixth straight match without a win in all competitions courtesy of a close-range finish from Messi's ex-Barcelona teammate Luis Suárez following an SKC defensive mishap.
April 10: Monterrey 3-1 Inter Miami
Despite Messi playing the full 90 minutes in a fiery quarterfinal second leg, Miami was eliminated from the Concacaf Champions Cup (losing 5-2 on aggregate). The home side were efficient in shutting down opportunities for the Argentine talisman -- who had missed the first leg -- and keeping him to just one chance in the first half.
Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender gifted a goal to Brandon Vázquez in the 31st minute before Monterrey dominated for the majority of the match, scoring two more goals to put the game out of reach. Throughout the game, the hostility between the home team and Miami was high, with fans booing Messi, who in turn began sliding into tackles and playing more physically, a playing style he's not particularly known for. That feistiness was carried over from the first game, when Messi had angrily approached the Monterrey locker room, who then filed a complained to Concacaf before Miami was fined for "an disclosed amount for lack of security in their stadium."
There was some consolation for Messi, who notched an assist from a free-kick to set up a headed goal for Diego Gómez. Too little too late, though.
April 6: Inter Miami 2-2 Colorado Rapids
Back on the pitch? Back on the scoresheet.
Messi scored just 12 minutes after coming off the substitutes' bench in his return to action for Miami in a 2-2 draw with Colorado on Saturday.
The Argentina star struck a first-time deflected shot in off the post to bring Miami level at 1-1 and, just three minutes later, played an integral part in Leo Alfonso's goal to secure a 2-1 lead over the visitors. Miami, though, couldn't hold on for the win, with Cole Bassett equalizing for Colorado in the 88th minute.
April 3: Inter Miami 1-2 Monterrey
Messi was once again an absentee as Inter Miami CF lost to Monterrey in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals.
Though Messi trained with the rest of the squad the day prior, Miami head coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino confirmed in the media availability ahead of the match that he would not "put the conditions of our players at risk."
Messi last played on March 13 but is battling an ongoing right hamstring issue.
March 30: Inter Miami 1-1 New York City FC: N/A
March 23: New York Red Bulls 4-0 Inter Miami: N/A
March 16: D.C. United 1-3 Inter Miami: N/A
March 13: Inter Miami 3-1 Nashville SC
Messi notched up a goal and an assist as Inter Miami defeated Nashville 3-1 (and 5-3 on aggregate) to advance to the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup.
The teams came into the game tied 2-2 after the first leg, but Luis Suárez scored at the end of a nice combination with Messi before the World Cup winner scored one of his own with a cool finish from the center of the penalty area to give Miami a two-goal aggregate cushion.
Messi was on the field to begin the second half, but Miami coach Gerardo Martino substituted him with Robert Taylor five minutes after the restart. It was unclear why Messi, who was rested in his team's 3-2 loss to CF Montreal in MLS on Sunday, was pulled so early in the second half.
March 7: Nashville SC 2-2 Inter Miami
Messi got on the scoresheet again as he helped Inter Miami tie Nashville 2-2 in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16.
Nashville went 2-0 up but Luis Suarez provided an assist for Messi in the 52nd minute as No. 10 used his left foot to squeeze the ball between goalkeeper Joe Willis' outstretched fingers from just outside the box.
Suarez then tied the score with a goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time as he headed home a cross from former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets.
March 2: Inter Miami 5-0 Orlando City
Partners in crime at Barcelona, Messi and Luis Suárez wound back the clock on Saturday as the duo each scored a brace in as Inter Miami routed Florida rivals Orlando City 5-0 at Chase Stadium.
The pair played together for six years at Barcelona and were back to their devastating best. Messi had consecutive goals during a quick span early in the second half to take his tally for the season to three goals in as many games, while Suárez added two assists to his two strikes.
Feb. 25: LA Galaxy 1-1 Inter Miami
It didn't take long for Messi to notch his first MLS goal of the season, scoring the equalizer in the 1-1 draw with LA Galaxy.
Inter Miami looked all but certain to record their first loss of the campaign before Messi and Jordi Alba -- that classic combination -- orchestrated a goal in the second minute of added time.
Picking up the ball in midfield, Messi and Alba exchanged a series of passes before the 36-year-old Argentine poked home from 8 yards out.
Feb. 21, MLS opener: Inter Miami 2-0 Real Salt Lake
Well, well, well. What a start for the Argentina superstar in South Florida.
It took Messi less than a half to notch his first assist of the season, dribbling into the heart of the RSL defense before a gentle layoff for Robert Taylor, who cut through and finished across Zac MacMath.
The first goal of 2024 belongs to Robert Taylor!
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) February 22, 2024
The set-up from Messi and a finish to make it 1-0. 💥
📺 #MLSSeasonPass: https://t.co/D7skJOK7bn pic.twitter.com/cWCFmvGrjc
Oh, and there was a rude bit of dribbling over an RSL player who seemed to be injured: nice moves, Lio. The clip lit the internet on fire and helped mask a rather backs-against-the-wall second half for the Herons, who held firm despite waves of attacks until a neat counterattack involving Messi and Luis Suárez was converted in style by Diego Gómez.
All in all, Inter Miami have three points in the bag from their opener.