Lionel Messi draws strong words from Inter Miami teammate

Inter Miami cruised to a commanding 4-1 win over the New England Revolution on Saturday night at Chase Stadium.

Jordi Alba and Tadeo Allende each scored twice, putting on a standout performance that capped off with a postgame tribute to Sergio Busquets, who recently announced he will retire at the end of the season.

After a few quiet outings, Lionel Messi returned to top form. The Argentine playmaker opened the scoring in the 32nd minute, threading a perfectly timed through ball to Allende following a clever turn, allowing him to finish from the right side.

Messi struck again before halftime, taking advantage of a poor clearance from goalkeeper Matt Turner. He bypassed a defender and set up Alba for an easy close-range finish, extending Miami’s lead.

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Lionel Messi leaves Inter Miami youngster speechless

After the match against New England, Inter Miami backup goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo spoke with reporters. Moreover, the 23-year-old gave a blunt response when asked about his thoughts on Messi providing three assists over the weekend.

“I can’t really say much—he shows it all on the field,” Novo said (h/t Miami Total Futbol). “He’s the best player in the world, and he’ll continue to be. It’s about enjoying it, supporting him, working together as a team, and staying strong in every aspect so we can set him up to have the ball, create the way he does, and keep pushing forward.”

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The Argentine superstar is now aiming for another milestone. In 2019, Carlos Vela set a high bar with 49 goal contributions in a single season for Los Angeles FC—a mark that once felt out of reach.

At his current pace, Messi could match or even exceed that total before the regular season ends, especially if Inter Miami pushes deep into the playoffs. It will be interesting to see if the veteran attacker can clinch this record while also lifting the MLS title, which has eluded him since arriving in 2023.