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Lionel Messi's brilliance never fades. Just under two weeks after announcing his retirement from international football with Argentina, the eight-time Ballon d'Or recipient conjured memories of his finest moments for La Albiceleste during Saturday night's MLS action.
Stepping onto the Mercedes-Benz Stadium pitch for the first time since guiding Argentina past England in the 2026 World Cup semifinal, Messi delivered a masterclass, netting a brace in a 3–1 victory over Atlanta United to give his club their first three-match winning run since July.
In doing so, his tally of 25 goals and 15 assists this campaign made him the first player in MLS history to record 15 assists across three consecutive seasons.
The goals were far from routine — they carried echoes of a vintage Messi, the player who once weaved past the finest defenders in Europe's most prestigious competitions. While Atlanta United's struggling defense may not compare to those opponents, Messi made them look just as helpless.
For his opening goal, he collected the ball in midfield and drove forward nearly the length of half the pitch, before a deft layoff and a crisp first-time finish for his 24th of the season. He then added his 25th shortly after, stretching his advantage at the top of the MLS Golden Boot race.
Messi on the break 1v1? Good luck.
Leo has his brace. 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/CoI15KzLpw
For new Inter Miami head coach Kily González, none of it came as a shock.
"I can't believe what this guy does at 39 years old," González said. "And what makes me happiest is that he's happy ... So if he's happy, he performs the way he performs; he enjoys ... Every day that I see him, I smile."
González's appreciation for his new No. 10 has been somewhat more measured than that of former manager Guillermo Hoyos, who lavished praise on Messi even through difficult spells. His approach aligns more closely with 2025 MLS Cup-winning coach Javier Mascherano, who held Messi in high regard while rightly keeping the team's collective success as the top priority over the final chapter of a legendary career.
"What do I admire about him? Everything," González added. "He's a player who never stops surprising you ... To me, he's an alien.
"He's a player who amazes me in every moment, in every training session I watch. And God willing, he'll keep on amazing us until the day he decides to hang up his boots."
Inter Miami Chasing Form
With three consecutive victories and just one goal conceded over that stretch, Inter Miami are hitting their stride at an ideal moment. Their strong start to the season gave them enough of a buffer to weather a difficult run of one win in 10 matches, and the recent resurgence under González could position them well to defend their MLS Cup crown.
Messi, meanwhile, is the frontrunner for a third successive MLS MVP Award and a back-to-back MLS Golden Boot as he sets his sights on the postseason with his Herons. Before fully turning their attention there, however, the club will look to lock down second place in the Eastern Conference through remaining fixtures against Red Bull New York, FC Cincinnati, the New England Revolution, and Charlotte FC.
"My goal is for the team to keep on improving," González added. "Today, we showed our character on the road against a side coming off a 3–0 win and desperate for points."