Inter Miami legend Lionel Messi created history in the MLC after scoring a brace for his team in their 4-0 win against Atlanta United. The Herons secured all three points in front of their fans, strengthening their playoff seeding.
Messi was given permission from Argentina national team squad to play for his club in their crucial clash against Atlanta United, and he scored twice. His goals saw him become the player in MLS history with the most games with more than aa goal in a regular season. The match against Atlanta United was the ninth one in which he scored more than one goal for Inter Miami this season.
Javier Mascherano's side had Lionel Messi from the start against Atlanta United, the side from he first round of the playoffs last season. The stands had some of his Argentina teammates, who turned up to watch him feature for his club in their final home match of the regular season.
Messi scored the opener for Inter Miami with a trademark curling finish in the first half of the game. The Argentina international applied the finishing in the game with only minutes to spare, finishing off a pass from Jordi Alba.
Lionel Messi took the lead in the race for this season's MLS Golden Boot with his brace against Atlanta United taking up to 26 goals, two more than Los Angeles FC player Denis Bouanga. The former Barcelona player ensured that his side secured home and away wins against Atlanta United for the first time since 2020.
Lionel Scaloni explains decision to bench Lionel Messi for Argentina's friendly game against Venezuela
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has disclosed the reason for Lionel Messi's absence from his side's friendly game against Venezuela in Miami. The 38-year-old was not picked in the 23-man squad for the match against their fellow South Americans at the Hard Rock Stadium despite being invited for this month's internationals.
In a conversation with reporters, Scaloni said that his wish to try a two-striker system with Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez was the key reason for Messi's absence. He mentioned that Palmeiras striker Flaco Lopez was also waiting for his chance, and so he decided to leave Messi out.
“I decided that Leo (Messi) wouldn’t play. I wanted to see Lautaro (Martínez) and Julián (Álvarez), and we also had Flaco López on the bench, who we’ll also be seeing soon", he said (via Mundo Albiceleste).
Lionel Messi was sidelined for the second Argentina match in September's international window against Ecuador, and he was given rest once more against Venezuela. He was at the stadium with his family, watching on as his teammates emerged victorious without him. The Inter Miami player is expected to return for their friendly against Puerto Rico at the Chase Stadium, his home ground in the MLS.
Argentina showed that they did not require Messi to clinch a win in Miami, with Laurtaro Martinez assisting Giovani Lo Celso to score the only goal in the match. The world champions ran out of comfortable 1-0 winners and will now turn their focus towards Tuesday's meeting with Puerto Rico.