Lionel Messi Sets New Record, First Player in MLS History

Lionel Messi continued his impressive performance for Inter Miami in the 2025 MLS season as they trounced FC Cincinnati 4–0 to advance to the Eastern Conference final for the first time in club history.

The 38-year-old scored a goal and three assists to help the Herons come out on top at TQL Stadium on Sunday night. Messi’s tally puts him atop the leaderboard for the most goal contributions in a single MLS Cup playoffs campaign.

Through four postseason matches under Javier Mascherano, Messi now has six goals and six assists to his name after recording five goals and three assists in the Round One best-of-three series against Nashville SC.

Lionel Messi during the 2025 MLS Cup Playoff match between Inter Miami CF and Nashville. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)

The Argentina international impressive performance also see him hit a new personal milestone.

Messi reached 1,300 goal contributions in all competitions through his 1,135 matches at Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami and with the Argentina men’s national team.

On Sunday, Messi opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a headed finish on a cross from Mateo Silvetti, before pulling strings through the rest of the night for a Tadeo Allende brace and a goal for Silvetti.

The Barcelona legend now has 11 goals and 11 assists in his last seven matches, contributing to all but three of the Herons’ goals in that span.

His display on the night brought his total for 2025 to 43 goals and 28 assists in 47 matches across all competitions, already enough to win the 2025 MLS Golden Boot with 29 goals and 19 assists in the regular season.

Now, he seeks the record for the most goals in a single MLS Cup playoffs, currently held by Carlos Ruiz, who scored eight in the 2002 postseason with the LA Galaxy.

Others to score six goals in a postseason include Raúl Díaz Arce, Roy Lassiter, Robbie Kean and Dejan Joveljić; the latter did so in last year’s MLS Cup championship with the LA Galaxy.