(FILES) Inter Miami's Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi celebrates a goal during a Major League Soccer (MLS) regular season football match between Inter Miami CF and Orlando City SC at NU Stadium in Miami, on May 2, 2026. (Photo by Giorgio Viera / AFP)
Lionel Messi reached 927 career goals on Saturday after scoring four goals to inspire Inter Miami to a 7-1 victory over CF Montreal in Major League Soccer.
The 39-year-old Argentina forward scored twice in the first half and added two more after the break as Inter Miami ended a five-match winless run.
Messi’s first goal came in the 40th minute when his free-kick found the net to give Miami a 2-1 lead after Montreal had cancelled out Casemiro’s 20th-minute opener through Fabian Herbers.
Messi doubled his tally seven minutes into the second half after weaving through a cluster of Montreal defenders before firing into the bottom corner.
The forward then assisted former Barcelona team-mate Luis Suarez for Miami’s fourth goal before completing his hat-trick in the 83rd minute with a delicate chip over goalkeeper Thomas Gillier.
Teenage substitute Alex Shaw added Miami’s sixth goal in the 89th minute before Messi completed his four-goal haul with another free-kick deep into stoppage time.
The victory ended Inter Miami’s five-game winless run across all competitions and moved the club to second place in the Eastern Conference.
Messi, who has played for Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami and Argentina, also moved to 18 MLS goals for the season, putting him at the top of the league’s scoring chart.
Saheed is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over two years of experience covering metro, technology, sports, politics, and human-interest stories. He focuses on producing clear, engaging reports across diverse beats. Saheed’s work reflects hands-on newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate and balanced journalism.
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