Messi Makes History Again with Fifth Consecutive Brace, Lifts Inter Miami to 2-1 Win Over Nashville

“At some point, we’re going to have to find time to rest him. We’ll talk about it day by day,” Mascherano said.

By DTD- On Jul 13, 2025

Miami – Lionel Messi continued his remarkable Major League Soccer scoring streak on Saturday, netting two goals for the fifth consecutive match to secure Inter Miami a 2-1 victory over Nashville.

The Argentine superstar opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a stunning left-footed free-kick that sliced through Nashville’s wall and beat goalkeeper Joe Willis. Despite Miami’s dominance in the first half, Nashville equalized early in the second through Hany Mukhtar’s header in the 49th minute.

But Messi responded just over 10 minutes later, capitalizing on a costly error from Willis to slot home the winner in the 62nd minute — taking his tally to 16 goals in 16 MLS appearances this season, tying him with Nashville’s Sam Surridge.

Just days earlier, Messi had become the first player in MLS history to score multiple goals in four consecutive matches. With Saturday’s brace, he extended that historic feat to five games.

“There are not many words. It’s incredible what he keeps doing — breaking records now every three days,” said Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano. “He is the leader and the standard-bearer of our team. It’s a blessing to accompany this stage of his career.”

Inter Miami, returning from a month-long hiatus for the Club World Cup — where they were eliminated in the last 16 by Paris Saint-Germain — have made a strong push up the Eastern Conference standings, now sitting in fifth place with 38 points from 19 matches, five points behind leaders Philadelphia Union, who have played three more games.

With a hectic fixture list ahead, including a clash with Cincinnati on Wednesday and a weekend matchup against the New York Red Bulls, Mascherano acknowledged the need to manage Messi’s minutes.

“At some point, we’re going to have to find time to rest him. We’ll talk about it day by day,” Mascherano said. “He’s feeling good, and when the time is right, we’ll give him the rest he deserves.”