Lionel Messi Scores 4 Goals as Inter Miami Crush Montréal 7-1 in Record MLS Win
Lionel Messi delivered another extraordinary performance on Saturday night, scoring four goals and providing an assist as Inter Miami CF demolished CF Montréal 7-1 in a record-breaking Major League Soccer victory.
The Argentine superstar produced a performance that reminded the football world why he remains one of the most dangerous attackers in the game, even at 39 years old. Messi scored four of Inter Miami’s seven goals and helped the club snap a difficult run of results in emphatic fashion.
The 7-1 victory marked the biggest win in Inter Miami’s history and gave the club a much-needed boost after a frustrating stretch without a victory. Messi’s four-goal performance was also his first time scoring four goals in an MLS match.
Inter Miami entered the contest needing a response.
The club had been struggling for consistency and had gone through a difficult period that included several matches without a win. The team had also recently appointed Cristian “Kily” González as its new head coach, although Guillermo Hoyos remained in charge on an interim basis while González waits for his work permit.
Against Montréal, however, everything clicked.
The scoring began when new Inter Miami signing Casemiro opened his account for the club. The Brazilian midfielder rose to meet a corner and headed the ball into the net, giving Miami an early advantage.
Montréal responded through Fabian Herbers, briefly bringing the visitors level.
That only appeared to awaken Messi.
The four-time Ballon d’Or winner restored Inter Miami’s lead in the 40th minute with a trademark free kick. Messi curled the ball toward the near post, catching Montréal goalkeeper Thomas Gillier off guard and putting Miami ahead 2-1 before halftime.
From that point, the match became a Messi showcase.
The Argentine continued to find space between Montréal’s defensive lines and repeatedly threatened whenever he received the ball near the penalty area.
His second goal of the evening came after an individual run that demonstrated the close control that has defined his career. Messi moved through multiple defenders before calmly finishing the move.
The goal extended Inter Miami’s advantage and gave the home crowd another opportunity to celebrate their captain.
Messi then turned provider.
The forward supplied an assist for Luis Suárez, allowing his longtime Barcelona teammate to join the scoring party. Their continued partnership remains one of the most recognizable attacking combinations in MLS.
The result also demonstrated the importance of the relationship between Messi and Suárez as Inter Miami attempt to regain their position among the league’s leading teams.
Messi completed his hat trick later in the second half, taking advantage of a defensive mistake before finishing clinically.
But he was not finished.
His fourth goal arrived later in the match, completing an extraordinary individual performance and putting the final touches on a historic Inter Miami victory.
Alexander Shaw also got on the scoresheet as Miami continued to pour forward, while Montréal’s defense struggled to contain the hosts.
By the final whistle, Inter Miami had scored seven goals.
The result was particularly significant because it ended a frustrating period for the club. Inter Miami had struggled defensively and had failed to win several consecutive matches before Saturday’s demolition of Montréal.
Messi’s performance therefore arrived at exactly the right time.
The Argentine finished the night with four goals and an assist, meaning he directly contributed to five of Inter Miami’s seven goals.
His first goal came from a set piece, his second followed an individual dribbling run, and his later goals demonstrated his ability to capitalize on defensive mistakes and finish chances with remarkable composure.
At 39, Messi continues to produce numbers that would be impressive for a player half his age.
His influence on Inter Miami extends beyond scoring.
He remains the club’s primary creative outlet and one of its most important leaders. When Messi is performing at his best, Inter Miami look capable of overwhelming opponents.
Saturday’s match was perhaps the clearest demonstration of that in recent weeks.
The victory also improved Inter Miami’s position in the Eastern Conference. Before the match, Miami were sitting near the top of the conference despite their recent struggles. Their ability to collect three points in such emphatic fashion could provide significant momentum for the remainder of the regular season.
For Montréal, the result was a nightmare.
The Canadian club had entered the game hoping to continue its recent improvement but was eventually overwhelmed by Miami’s attacking quality.
The visitors managed to stay competitive during the opening half, particularly after Herbers’ equalizer, but Messi’s free kick shifted the momentum.
Once Miami regained the lead, Montréal struggled to cope with the hosts’ movement and passing.
Messi’s ability to operate in dangerous areas repeatedly created problems, while Suárez and Miami’s other attackers benefited from the spaces he created.
The seven-goal performance also gave the club a significant boost in goal difference.
For Casemiro, the match was another important milestone.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder scored his first goal for Inter Miami, immediately becoming part of one of the club’s most memorable victories.
His arrival had been viewed as another indication of Miami’s ambition. Alongside Messi, Suárez and other high-profile players, Casemiro is expected to provide experience and quality as the club pursues another MLS Cup.
The victory also comes at an important moment for new coach Kily González.
Although he has not yet formally taken over because of work-permit requirements, González will inherit a team with enormous attacking talent.
His relationship with Messi is one of the most intriguing aspects of the appointment. The two are both from Rosario, Argentina, and González has previously worked in Argentine football.
For now, Hoyos can take credit for overseeing the turnaround.
The interim coach had faced growing pressure after Miami’s poor run, but his team produced an almost perfect response against Montréal.
And at the center of everything was Messi.
The four-goal performance was another reminder that the Argentine can still completely dominate an MLS match.
He has already produced hat tricks for Inter Miami, but four goals in a single league game represents another level of individual excellence.
The victory also adds another remarkable statistic to Messi’s extraordinary career.
Throughout his time at Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Argentina and Inter Miami, he has repeatedly produced multiple-goal performances. Yet even for a player with his résumé, four goals and an assist in one MLS match remains a spectacular achievement.
For Inter Miami supporters, the timing could hardly have been better.
The club needed a win.
Messi delivered one.
And he did it in record-breaking fashion.
Inter Miami’s 7-1 victory over Montréal will be remembered not simply because of the scoreline but because of the performance that produced it.
Casemiro scored his first goal. Suárez found the net. Shaw added another. But the night belonged unmistakably to Messi.
Four goals.
One assist.
Seven Inter Miami goals.
And a record-breaking victory.
At an age when many players have already retired, Lionel Messi continues to produce moments that make football fans stop and watch.
Saturday night in Miami was another one of those moments.
The result gives Inter Miami renewed confidence, while Messi’s extraordinary performance sends a warning to the rest of MLS: the Argentine superstar still has plenty of magic left.
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