Lionel Messi delivered another magical performance, scoring twice and providing an assist to power Inter Miami CF to a convincing 4-0 victory over New York City FC. The win seals Inter Miami’s spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs for the third year in a row, keeping their dream alive for a first-ever MLS Cup title.
Playing at Citi Field in New York City, Inter Miami dominated from start to finish. Midfielder Baltasar Rodríguez and striker Luis Suárez added the other goals, showcasing the team’s depth and firepower. With five games left in the regular season, Inter Miami sits third in the Eastern Conference with 55 points from 16 wins, 6 losses, and 7 draws. They’re in prime position to grab home-field advantage in the Round One best-of-three series.
As the defending Supporters’ Shield champions, Inter Miami has already locked up a berth in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup after reaching the Leagues Cup final this summer. Earlier this year, they made history by advancing to the knockout rounds of the FIFA Club World Cup.
Messi’s heroics put him in the spotlight once again. The Argentine superstar leads the MLS with 37 goal contributions—24 goals and 13 assists—in just 23 matches. That makes him a strong contender to become the first back-to-back MLS MVP winner. In fact, he’s the first player in league history to hit 35 or more goal contributions in consecutive seasons.
Wednesday’s match marked Messi’s league-leading eighth multi-goal game this year. His total now ties him with legends like Josef Martinez and Zlatan Ibrahimovic for third on the all-time single-season list, just behind Carlos Vela’s record of 49—with five games still to play.
Inter Miami aims to stretch their winning streak to four when they face Eastern Conference rivals Toronto FC on Saturday at BMO Field. Fans can’t wait to see if Messi and the team keep the momentum rolling toward the playoffs.
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