MLS

Messi’s hot streak breaks another MLS record

The Argentine captain is rewriting MLS history as he leads Inter Miami to another commanding win in Fort Lauderdale.

CHANDAN KHANNA

Estados Unidos Update: Jul 14th, 2025 11:13 EDT

Lionel Messi is inevitable. The Argentine star is the heart and soul of Inter Miami, and his current form is the perfect explanation for why Javier Mascherano’s side is enjoying such a rich run in the 2025 Major League Soccer season. The No. 10 bagged another brace against Nashville SC, lighting up Chase Stadium once again in his return to Fort Lauderdale.

There’s still no stopping Messi

The first real threat came from the Herons, when Tadeo Allende fired a shot that was blocked by the visiting goalkeeper. Moments later, Luis Suárez missed a golden chance with a chipped attempt that floated over the bar. Despite the misfire from the seasoned Uruguayan striker, Mascherano’s men began to assert themselves on the match.

A few minutes later, Messi tried to break toward goal but was brought down by Norwegian midfielder Edvard Sandvik Tagseth in a clear foul. Up stepped the No. 10, who buried the resulting free kick from just outside the box to make it 1–0 in Fort Lauderdale. With a low drive to Joe Willis’s post, the Inter Miami captain continued his extraordinary 2025 campaign.

While Inter Miami looked to widen the gap before the break, it was Nashville who struck early in the second half. In the 49th minute, Hany Mukhtar leveled the score with a well-placed header after a brilliant cross from the right by Honduran full-back Andy Najar. The Nashville No. 10 beat Óscar Ustari to make it 1–1.

Messi and his love affair with braces

Messi is in such imperious form that he’s forcing mistakes out of his opponents. Just minutes after Mukhtar’s equalizer, the Herons took back control of the ball – but their second goal came courtesy of a blunder by goalkeeper Joe Willis. After receiving a long ball, Willis tried to play it out to a teammate, but his pass landed straight at the feet of the Argentine star, who calmly slotted home his second goal of the night.

Messi’s latest brace sets a new MLS record for the most consecutive games with multiple goals in the regular season – now five, up from the previous mark of four. He also pulled level with Sam Surridge – his direct rival on Saturday – at the top of the 2025 MLS scoring charts. And with 11 goals in his last six appearances, Messi has matched Josef Martínez for the most goals in a six-game span in league history.

19 Ustari
57 Marcelo Weigandt (95')
14 Héctor Martínez
18 Alba
37 Maximiliano Falcón
21 Tadeo Allende (62')
5 Busquets
8 Telasco Segovia (62')
30 Benjamín Cremaschi
10 Messi x2
9 Luis Suárez (82')
Substitutes
11 Baltasar Rodríguez (62')
55 Federico Redondo (62')
14 Patrice Picault
34 Rocco Ríos Novo
15 Ryan Sailor (95')
6 Tomás Avilés (82')
81 Santiago Morales
25 Yarbrough
22 Leo Afonso

1 Joe Willis
5 Jack Maher
4 Jeisson Palacios (63')
31 Najar
2 Daniel Lovitz
10 Hany Mukhtar
8 Patrick Yazbek (63')
14 Jacob Shaffelburg (53')
37 Ahmed Qasem (77')
20 Edvard Tagseth (77')
9 Sam Surridge
Substitutes
6 Bryan Acosta
7 Brugman (63')
19 Alex Muyl (53')
16 Matthew Corcoran (77')
99 Brian Schwake
25 Walker Zimmerman (63')
22 Josh Bauer
12 Teal Bunbury
29 Julian Gaines (77')

Substitutions

Alex Muyl (53', Jacob Shaffelburg), Baltasar Rodríguez (62', Telasco Segovia), Federico Redondo (62', Tadeo Allende), Walker Zimmerman (63', Jeisson Palacios), Gastón Brugman (63', Patrick Yazbek), Matthew Corcoran (77', Edvard Tagseth), Julian Gaines (77', Ahmed Qasem), Tomás Avilés (82', Luis Suárez), Ryan Sailor (95', Marcelo Weigandt)

Goals

1-0, 16': Messi, 1-1, 48': Hany Mukhtar, 2-1, 61': Messi

Cards

Referee: Filip Dujic
VAR Referee: Younes Marrakchi, Meghan Mullen
Patrick Yazbek (23',Yellow), Telasco Segovia (51',Yellow), Marcelo Weigandt (86',Yellow), Jack Maher (92',Yellow)

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