Inter Miami star Lionel Messi scored two second half goals in his team’s Major League Soccer (MLS) clash against DC United in Miami on Saturday. His brace helped Inter Miami clinch a 4-0 win, with Luis Suarez also striking twice in the first half.
opened the scoring in the third minute before doubling his tally in the 39th minute to give the hosts a two-goal advantage at half-time. Messi then extended Inter Miami’s lead shortly after the restart, finding the net in the 47th minute. The Argentine forward completed his brace in the 60th minute to round off the scoring.
The performance marked Messi’s first competitive appearance for since his emotional farewell to international football earlier in the week. He had featured for in a friendly against Benin in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, bringing the curtain down on a career spanning more than two decades with the national team.
Messi delivered a fitting final performance for Argentina, scoring a penalty and providing two assists in the 3-0 victory. He set up goals for Nicolas Otamendi and Nico Paz before converting from the spot himself in the second half.
The forward finished his international career with 126 goals in 208 appearances, establishing himself as Argentina’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player. His achievements with the national team included winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and two Copa America titles, in 2021 and 2024.
Messi’s return to Inter Miami came as the club looked to strengthen their position in the MLS Eastern Conference. Before Saturday’s fixture, Miami had gone five league matches without a victory, making the encounter against DC United an important opportunity to regain momentum.
The win took Inter Miami to second place in the Eastern Conference standings with 49 points from 28 matches. Messi continues to lead the goal-scorers’ tally in the with 23 goals.
The four-goal display provided a decisive response, with Messi and Suarez accounting for all the goals. The two forwards combined their finishing ability to give the hosts control of the contest and leave DC United unable to find a way back into the match.
For Messi, the brace offered an immediate return to club duties after an emotional week in which he closed one of the most celebrated chapters of his football career.
