Lionel Messi made a brilliant return as Inter Miami defeated Atlético de San Luis 4-2 in the Leagues Cup on Wednesday, August 5.
The Argentina captain scored twice in the first half and became the player with the most goals in Leagues Cup history.
His first goal came in the 11th minute after the Mexican side had taken an early lead at Nu Stadium in Miami. Noah Allen delivered a pass from the left wing, and Messi controlled it in front of goal before finishing with a simple shot to level the score. After scoring, the 39-year-old tucked the ball under his arm, smiled, and celebrated with high-fives from his teammates. Inter Miami then went ahead when Telasco Segovia found the back of the net to make it 2-1.
Just before halftime, Messi scored again in a move similar to his first goal. Allen once more provided the assist from the left, finding the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner in front of goal. Messi took a few touches before calmly finishing to score his second goal of the night. It was his 14th Leagues Cup goal, setting a new all-time competition record.
Messi also played a part in Inter Miami’s fourth goal before the break. His corner kick was met by Micael dos Santos Silva, who scored with a powerful header to give the home side a 4-1 advantage.
The new Leagues Cup record comes shortly after Messi’s impressive performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Argentina finished as runners-up. The defending champions lost to Spain in the final after beating England, Switzerland, Egypt, and Cape Verde in the knockout rounds.
Messi also became the tournament’s all-time leading goalscorer after reaching 21 World Cup goals, including eight during this year’s tournament. However, Kylian Mbappé later moved ahead by scoring 10 goals at the 2026 World Cup, taking his career total to 22 World Cup goals and winning his second consecutive Golden Boot.
Before this Leagues Cup match, Messi made his first appearance for Inter Miami after the World Cup on August 1, coming off the bench in a 2-2 MLS draw against the Columbus Crew.
Inter Miami will now face Liga MX club Monterrey in their next Leagues Cup match on Saturday, August 8, at Nu Stadium in Miami.
