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.
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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:
Games played: 18
Goals: 11
Assists: 3
May 24: Philadelphia Union 3-3 Inter Miami
Lionel Messi pulls a goal back for Inter Miami with this superb free kick vs. the Philadelphia Union.
Messi rolled back the clock with a vintage showing late in Miami's 3-3 draw with the Philadelphia Union on Saturday night.
With the Herons down 3-1 with just three minutes of regular time remaining, the Argentina legend stepped up to the plate and rescued a point for his side.
Messi got Miami back into the match with a signature curled free kick in the 87th minute to get the score to 3-2. He then assisted Telasco Segovia's 95th-minute equaliser. Sumptuous stuff.
May 18: Orlando City 3-0 Inter Miami
Orlando handed Messi and Co. their fifth loss in the last seven games on Sunday night.
The Herons slumped to a listless 3-0 defeat thanks to goals from Luis Muriel, Marco Pasalic and Dagur Thórhallsson -- causing Messi to speak out after the game.
"[We need to] keep going. It's a complicated time," he told Apple TV.
"But we'll all stay united. We're a team in difficult times, because when everyone wins, it's easy, but now that difficult times are coming, that's when we have to be more united than ever, be a true team, and move forward, because we have what it takes.
"Think about what's next and prepare for the next game."
May 14: San Jose Earthquakes 3-3 Inter Miami
In an entertaining game on the West Coast that saw Miami come back twice, the Argentine superstar was mainly quiet on the pitch (outside of some refereeing controversy) while his teammates, Jordi Alba and Tadeo Allende, were both the main stars in a 3-3 draw.
The ex-Barca man got two assists, whereas Messi's compatriot appeared on the scoresheet twice. Miami will now head back home to play in an all-Florida derby against Orlando City SC on Sunday.
May 10: Minnesota United 4-1 Inter Miami
The opposite of last week happened for Miami as they lost by the same scoreline they won against the Red Bulls, losing to the Loons 4-1.
Messi got on the scoresheet to score his 10th goal of the season in all competitions for Javier Mascherano's side, but he also got another unwanted record. This loss is now the largest margin of defeat (three goals) in a game Messi has played for in all competitions since joining Inter Miami.
Miami are still in fourth in the Eastern Conference, ahead of a midweek trip to face the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday.
May 3: Inter Miami 4-1 New York Red Bulls
Lionel Messi makes it 4-1 Inter Miami with this no-nonsense finish.
Miami bounced back from its Concacaf Champions Cup elimination midweek with a comprehensive 4-1 win over NYRB on Saturday.
Messi was the final player to get on the scoresheet, firing an unstoppable left-footed strike from the center of the box following a one-two with Telasco Segovia midway through the second half.
The result left Miami fourth in the Eastern Conference, ahead of a trip to face Minnesota United in a week's time.
April 30: Inter Miami 1-3 Vancouver Whitecaps
Messi and Co.'s quest to lift the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup is over after 5-1 aggregate shellacking at the hands of Jesper Sørensen's Vancouver Whitecaps.
The Argentina legend was held goalless for the fourth straight match as the Herons bowed out of the competition.
Miami also dropped its third straight match, the first time the team has lost that many in a row in the Messi era.
April 24: Vancouver Whitecaps 0-2 Inter Miami
The dry streak continues for the Argentine as he was unable to help his side defeat the Canadian club in the first leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal tie, losing 2-0 at BC Place.
The return leg will be at Chase Stadium on Apr. 30.
April 19: Columbus Crew 0-1 Inter Miami
Inter Miami continues its unbeaten run in MLS, as Benjamin Cremaschi scored the only goal of the game to give Javier Mascherano's team all three points in Ohio.
Messi played the full 90 minutes but yet again was unable to contribute with a goal or assist. However, thanks to this win, Inter Miami are now the last unbeaten team in MLS this season and also go provisionally top of the Eastern Conference.
April 13: Chicago Fire 0-0 Inter Miami
Inter Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari and Chicago's Chris Brady both emerged with their first clean sheets of the MLS season on Sunday.
Messi played the full 90 minutes but was unable to conjure up a goal, leaving Miami fourth in the MLS Eastern Conference after seven games.
April 9: Inter Miami 3-1 LAFC
WHO ELSE!? 🐐MESSI FROM THE SPOT FOR @InterMiamiCF 💪 pic.twitter.com/kQq09rnWaU
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
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.
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.
Lionel Messi dazzles with an equalizing goal for Inter Miami.
Feb. 25: Inter Miami 3-1 Sporting Kansas City
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!?
Feb. 22: Inter Miami 2-2 New York City FC
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
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.
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