Messi Chases Historic First as He Hunts Goals Against All 30 MLS Teams
After spending just two seasons wearing the pink jersey, Lionel Messi is approaching the milestone of finding the net against every MLS club, with FC Cincinnati standing as his next target for the Inter Miami striker.
Ever since Messi's arrival at Inter Miami in July 2023, the eight-time Ballon d'Or recipient has shattered numerous records for both the Herons and Major League Soccer. Now at 38 years old, the Argentine superstar finds himself amid an extraordinary scoring run, having netted two goals in each of his previous five league matches.
This remarkable achievement remains unmatched by any player in MLS history, and Messi has the opportunity to further extend this new milestone when facing Cincinnati. Javier Mascherano's squad will travel to Ohio for a showdown with the Orange and Blues at TQL Stadium in what should be an unmissable encounter between two Eastern Conference powerhouses.
Focus will center on Messi as the striker aims to maintain his exceptional scoring momentum while simultaneously helping his squad claim three vital points. Additionally, this fixture provides Messi with the chance to finally register his inaugural goal against Cincinnati.
Lionel Messi's Record vs. Cincinnati
Messi has encountered Cincinnati on just two occasions, with both meetings occurring in 2023. Although he contributed two assists during his initial matchup against the Eastern Conference outfit in the 2023 U.S. Open Cup, Messi failed to score in the 3–3 stalemate. However, he successfully converted his penalty kick to help the Herons progress 5–4 in the shootout.
The FIFA World Cup champion was also kept off the scoresheet when these teams met again in MLS competition later that season. Once more, Messi couldn't register a goal as Inter Miami fell 1–0.
The Herons encountered Cincinnati twice during the previous campaign, but Messi was absent for both fixtures. He was sidelined first due to Copa América 2024 commitments and subsequently because of injury concerns.
Review the complete summary of Messi's performance history against Cincinnati.
Appearances | Record | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
Two | (0W-1L-1D) | Zero | Two |
Even should Messi fail to score against Pat Noonan's team, he might still capture his maiden victory over Cincinnati in Wednesday's encounter.
What MLS Teams Has Lionel Messi Never Scored Against?
Among all the MLS clubs Messi has encountered since his transition to the United States, only seven remain without conceding a goal to him. The remaining teams include:
With two fixtures still scheduled against Cincinnati and D.C. United, plus single matches against NYCFC and Chicago Fire, Messi could cross four of the five teams off this list before the 2025 MLS regular season concludes.
The only clubs Messi must wait to encounter are the San Jose Earthquakes and Real Salt Lake. The Western Conference team is not among Inter Miami's final 14 opponents in MLS competition.
Messi had two chances this season to score against the Vancouver Whitecaps, but the striker remained silent in both matches of the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal series.