Lionel Messi enters exclusive MLS club in Inter Miami masterpiece | OneFootball

By Harrison Hamm

Lionel Messi has added another piece of history to his crowded mantle.

After racking up three assists in Saturday's 4-1 home win over the New England Revolution, Inter Miami CF's legendary No. 10 reached 41 goal contributions on the season.

Messi (24g/17a) is now just the second player in MLS history to reach at least 40 combined goals and assists in a regular-season campaign, after Carlos Vela’s record 49 with LAFC in 2019

WATCH: Messi marks HISTORIC night with hat trick of assists

Lionel Messi

Forward · Inter Miami CF

Messi-led rout

It was Messi’s playmaking that led the way as Miami had their way with the Revolution’s defense.

The GOAT assisted Tadeo Allende’s 32nd-minute goal that opened the scoring. Then, prior to the halftime break, he connected with former FC Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba with a pretty piece of dribbling inside the box. The vintage combination doubled Miami’s lead.

Dor Turgeman pulled one back for the visitors in the 59th minute, but Miami reacted almost immediately. Messi, just a minute later, set up Allende's second goal of the night shortly before Alba added a brace of his own to round out the scoreboard.

"He gave us the possibility of opening the score and then securing [the result]," head coach Javier Mascherano said post-game of Messi's latest standout performance. "Not only with the pass for Jordi, but when they [New England] made it 2-1, and in the next play with an assist that only he can give.

"He keeps showing the ability he has and, more than anything, the ambition and desire to go for more."

Final push

Messi has two more games to go for more goal contributions and possibly challenge Vela's feat, beginning with Saturday's regular-season home finale against Atlanta United (7:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).

Last year's Landon Donovan MLS MVP is also vying to become the league's first-ever back-to-back winner.

On the collective front, Messi and Miami sit third in the Eastern Conference with 59 points. A top-four finish would guarantee home-field advantage in their Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs Round One Best-of-3 Series.

WATCH: Messi magic! Miami's GOAT gets three assists in Revs rout