Lionel Messi put on another show for Inter Miami on Saturday, scoring two goals against Nashville. His incredible performance sealed a big win for his team. This victory kept Inter Miami’s strong run going in the league.
The team captain got things started just 17 minutes into the game. He curled a beautiful free-kick right into the net. This was the 69th free-kick goal of his amazing career. Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar, a player who spent time at Benfica in 2014-2015, headed in a goal at the 48-minute mark. This leveled the score for a bit. But Messi quickly answered in the 62nd minute. He snatched a pass from goalkeeper Joe Willis, then danced around him before scoring the game-winning goal.
This wasn’t just any two-goal game for Messi. It marked his fifth straight game in the MLS where he scored twice. No player had ever done that four times in a row, let alone five. He has also scored in six straight games, showing his consistent impact. Before this match, he had scored two goals in home games against CF Montreal, which Inter Miami won 4-2, and Columbus Crew, a 5-1 victory. After the Club World Cup, he kept his hot streak going, bagging two goals against a Canadian team in a 4-1 away win and again at New England Revolution, securing a 2-1 victory.
Messi leads the MLS with 16 goals this season. He has also dished out six assists in 16 games. Looking at all competitions in 2025, he has piled up 22 goals and six assists in 29 matches. Throughout his senior career, the numbers are simply staggering: 899 goals and 398 assists in 1,167 games. That’s a lot of incredible moments.
Messi’s fifth straight two-goal game helped Inter Miami clinch their fifth consecutive win. They now sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings, with 38 points from 19 games. Cincinnati leads that conference with 43 points, though they have played 22 games. Nashville, despite the loss, remains a tough team. They were on a 12-game unbeaten streak in the MLS, with eight wins and four draws, before running into Messi’s magic. They are currently in third place with 41 points from 22 games.