Lionel Messi has no shortage of motivation in 2025. His Inter Miami CF won the Supporters’ Shield last season, setting an MLS single-season record for points in the process, before being humbly knocked out of the playoffs in Round 1. This year, his second full campaign in the league, marks an opportunity for redemption. It’s also the final season of his contract in South Florida.
Could the GOAT put pen to paper on a new deal that would run through next season and beyond the 2026 World Cup? Absolutely. In fact, the Herons expect him to do just that. But as ever in life, there are no guarantees.
So watch him while you can, savor every moment of Messi magic during his Stateside sojourn, because you never know. This could be the end.
While the Argentina captain is in MLS, ESPN is breaking down his performances for Miami game by game, providing stats and info every time he slips on a Herons jersey.
Messi’s 2025 tally:
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Games played: 8
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Goals: 7
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Assists: 3
April 9: Inter Miami 3-1 LAFC
WHO ELSE!? 🐐
MESSI FROM THE SPOT FOR @InterMiamiCF 💪 pic.twitter.com/kQq09rnWaU
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 10, 2025
Wednesday’s match started ominously for Messi and Co. after Aaron Long‘s ninth-minute strike had 2-0 up on aggregate in the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal. Was this the first competition of the year that the Argentina legend and his team would bow out of?
Not likely.
Messi wound back the clock with the type of performance that will no doubt go down in Herons folklore. Registering two goals and an assist, Messi almost single-handedly dragged Miami through to the semifinals.
The 37-year-old started the rally in the 35th minute, getting loose near the top of the 18-yard box and scoring with his left foot to tie the match at 1-1 and giving the hosts some hope. It was then Messi’s feed that allowed Noah Allen to bring Miami level on aggregate in the 61st minute, before stepping up and dispatching the clincher with a penalty kick in the 84th minute.
Wonderous stuff.
April 6: Inter Miami 1-1 Toronto FC
0:35
Messi’s sweet strike brings Inter Miami level
Lionel Messi hits a sweet strike to bring Inter Miami level just before halftime vs. Toronto FC.
Messi’s 40th goal across all competitions since joining Inter Miami — the franchise record — helped the Herons to 1-1 draw with Toronto FC on Sunday.
His strike came on the eve of half-time, bringing the hosts back level in the match after Federico Bernardeschi opened the scoring for Toronto just a minute earlier.
The Argentine legend collected a swift pass from Telasco Segovia before firing on the half-turn from 18-yeards out. Another clinical finish from Messi.
April 2: LAFC 1-0 Inter Miami
A rare blank from the Argentine as LAFC sealed a first-leg advantage against Messi and Co. in the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals.
The return leg will be played at Chase Stadium on April 9.
March 29: Inter Miami 2-1 Philadelphia Union
Messi may have missed a few games for Miami — and two World Cup qualifiers for Argentina — with an adductor injury, but the 37-year-old made an immediate impact against the Union on Saturday night.
1:28
Lionel Messi subs in and quickly scores for Inter Miami
Lionel Messi substitutes in and nets a goal to give Inter Miami CF a 2-0 lead against the Philadelphia Union.
After being subbed-on in the 55th minute, the Herons ace only need 120 seconds before putting the ball in the back of the net. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner took a pass from Suárez on the right side of the penalty box, made a quick move and sent a right-footed shot past two Philadelphia defenders into the net to give Miami an unassailable two-goal lead.
March 16: Atlanta United 1-2 Inter Miami
Messi struck for the first time in the 2025 MLS regular season in a dramatic, late 2-1 victory at Atlanta United FC on Sunday.
Messi’s goal came in the 20th minute of just his second regular season appearance for Miami, dispossessing Bartosz Slisz before weaving his way past the Atlanta defence, and then deftly chipping keeper Brad Guzan.
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Lionel Messi scores sensational goal for Inter Miami
Lionel Messi dazzles with an equalizing goal for Inter Miami.
Miami got the better of Sporting KC on Tuesday in what is fast becoming one of Messi’s favorite competitions.
The Argentine maestro scored the opening goal in the 3-1 win, meaning that he has now scored or assisted in all five Concacaf Champions Cup matches that he has played in his career (four goals, two assists).
It was a tally straight from the annals of soccer history too, with Luis Suárez crossing the ball for Messi to control and then fire home. How many times have we seen that!?
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Messi assists on late equalizing goal in stoppage time
Telasco Segovia equalizes the score at 2-2 in late stoppage time to give Inter Miami a point in the season opener.
It might not have been the result Miami wanted to open the MLS season, but Messi started right where he left off last campaign; laying on two assists for his teammates in Saturday’s 2-2 draw.
The first came from a well-worked routine that ended with Messi squaring the ball for Tomás Avilés to tap-in in the fifth minute. The second was even better, pushing a perfectly weighted through-ball past the NYCFC defence and into the path of Telasco Segovia, who chipped the ball over an onrushing Matthew Freese and into the net — levelling the scores and salvaging a point for the hosts a full 10 minutes into stoppage-time.
Feb. 19: Sporting Kansas City 0-1 Inter Miami
Messi’s 2025 campaign kicked off in the Concacaf Champions Cup in Kansas City on Wednesday night in truly frigid conditions, with temperatures dipping down to 3 degrees Fahrenheit. From mittens to leggings to snoods, exposed skin was a rare sight on the Children’s Mercy Park pitch.
The former Barcelona legend nearly got onto the score sheet in the eighth minute with a clever pass for Suárez, whose awkward attempt scuffed wide of the far post. Considering the Uruguay international’s clinical finishing, it was a surprise that the ball didn’t end up in the back of the net.
Keeping Messi off the board proved a task too tall for Sporting, though. In the 56th minute, the Herons’ No. 10 chested down a lofted ball from Sergio Busquets, took two touches and tucked a precise shot just inside the far post to give Miami a 1-0 lead.
MESSI WITH AN OUTRAGEOUS TOUCH AND WEAK FOOT FINISH TO PUT INTER MIAMI AHEAD IN THE FIRST LEG 😳
(via @FOXSoccer)pic.twitter.com/W034QaF49C
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) February 20, 2025
That’s all Inter would need, though, as they took a 1-0 victory in the first leg of their Round 1 tie, claiming a crucial away goal in the process.
