Lionel Messi made a triumphant return from injury on Saturday, scoring two goals within four minutes and providing an assist to lead Inter Miami to a 3-1 Major League Soccer victory over the Philadelphia Union.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner had been sidelined since injuring his right ankle during the Copa America final on July 14, where he played a key role in Argentina’s win over Colombia. Since then, Messi missed eight MLS matches for Miami and this month’s World Cup qualifiers for Argentina.
Despite his lengthy absence, Messi seamlessly rejoined the action in his first game for Inter since June 1, earning a spot in the starting lineup.
“I’m a little tired,” Messi admitted after the game. “The heat and humidity in Miami don’t help, but I was eager to return after being out for so long. I gradually trained with the team, felt good, and I’m very happy to have started.”
Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino expressed relief that Messi completed the full 90 minutes without issue. Philadelphia struck first in the second minute, with Mikael Uhre’s left-footed goal from outside the box giving the Union an early lead.
However, Messi responded in the 26th minute, receiving a pass from Luis Suarez, beating defender Kai Wagner, and finishing with a right-footed strike. The play had been set up by Jordi Alba’s brilliant run down the left.
Just four minutes later, Messi doubled Miami’s lead, finishing with a left-footed shot into the bottom right corner after another connection with Alba. Although Suarez’s goal before halftime was disallowed by VAR, he eventually found the net deep into injury time, with Messi assisting on the third goal.
Messi’s impact was felt not just in his individual performance but in helping extend Inter Miami’s lead at the top of the MLS standings to 62 points, 10 points ahead of FC Cincinnati in the Eastern Conference, with six regular-season games remaining.
Reflecting on the team’s performance, Messi praised the squad for overcoming challenges: “We’ve been unlucky with injuries this season, but the team has always come through. We deserve to be in first place, and hopefully, we can finish strong.”
Messi’s two goals bring his total to 14 in just 13 games, placing him back in contention for the league’s top scorer title. Suarez, with 17 goals, is also chasing the MLS scoring leader, Christian Benteke of DC United.
Inter Miami’s fans were treated to an exciting match, despite early drama when Uhre scored for Philadelphia less than a minute into the game. The Union put Miami under pressure, but Messi soon took control, orchestrating attacks alongside Alba and Suarez.
Messi, 37, now holds the distinction of being the fastest player in MLS history to reach 15 goals and 15 assists, accomplishing the feat in just 19 games.
