Lionel Messi Scores Four Goals in Inter Miami Demolition as MLS Playoff Race Intensifies

Lionel Messi scored four goals and added an assist in Inter Miami’s 7-1 victory over CF Montreal, the first four-goal regular season game of his MLS career and the highest-scoring match in club history
Messi became the fastest player to reach 20 multi-goal games in MLS regular season history, doing so in just 72 matches, and moved to second all-time in Player of the Matchday awards behind only Landon Donovan
The playoff race is heating up with the transfer window closing on September 2, Toronto FC, Atlanta United and Philadelphia Union all climbing back into contention in the East while Seattle and Austin sit outside the playoff places in the West

Messi reminds MLS he is still operating on a different level

Lionel Messi put four goals past CF Montreal on Saturday night and added an assist for good measure as Inter Miami romped to a 7-1 victory at Nu Stadium. It was the first time in his MLS career that Messi had scored four goals in a regular season match, making him the 19th player in league history to accomplish the feat. The seven goals were the most Inter Miami have ever scored in a regular season game.

With the score level at 1-1 in the 40th minute, Messi gave Miami the lead with a free kick that deflected into the roof of the net. He scored his second in the 52nd minute, dribbling past several Montreal defenders before finishing with his right foot. The two-time Landon Donovan MLS MVP then picked out Luis Suarez for Miami’s fourth goal in the 80th minute before completing his hat trick three minutes later by pouncing on a turnover and chipping the Montreal goalkeeper. He added an exclamation point in second-half stoppage time with a second free kick, this one struck perfectly past the diving goalkeeper.

The numbers behind the performance are staggering. Messi now owns one-fourth of all regular season games in MLS history that have featured at least five goal contributions from a single player, having done it three separate times in his career. He became the fastest player to hit 20 multi-goal games in the regular season, reaching the milestone in just 72 total matches. And with his 15th Player of the Matchday award, he has eclipsed Jeff Cunningham for second on the all-time list, behind only Landon Donovan on 19.

Beyond Miami’s demolition job, Matchday 23 underlined just how tight the playoff race has become across both conferences. All 30 teams have now played at least 20 regular season games, and the tables are shifting fast. In the Eastern Conference, Toronto FC, Atlanta United and the Philadelphia Union were sitting near the bottom of the standings just six weeks ago. All three are now within four points of the final playoff spot and could potentially be back inside the picture by the end of Matchday 24.

The Western Conference tells a different story. Two of last season’s top six playoff teams, Seattle Sounders FC and Austin FC, are currently on the outside looking in. St. Louis CITY SC have rocketed up to sixth in the West and are closing in on a top-four seed and home-field advantage.

The stakes are about to get even higher with the secondary transfer window closing at midnight on September 2. For the first time, the MLS window aligns with many of the other top global leagues, which means clubs could be active in the final hours as they look to add the reinforcements needed for a deep playoff run. The 2026 window has already been a record-setting year, with seven club-record signings completed alongside global superstar free agents, all while a record number of teenagers and players from the MLS Player Pathway are making their mark on first teams.

One of those teenagers is New England Revolution’s Peyton Miller, the 18-year-old winger who continues to announce himself as one of the brightest prospects in North America. Playing in a more attacking role under first-year head coach Marko Mitrovic, Miller has recorded three straight games with an assist while playing with 10 stitches near his eye for the past two weeks. A product of Oakwood SC in Connecticut through the MLS NEXT pathway, Miller joined the Revolution academy in 2021 and has earned a new long-term contract after dominating at MLS NEXT and MLS NEXT Pro level. His combination of speed, grit and end product makes him impossible to ignore.

Messi and Miami host Atlanta United on September 5 at Nu Stadium as they look to maintain their remarkable scoring form heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

WRITTEN BY

Jarrod

Jarrod Partridge is the Founder of Futbol Chronicle and an accredited journalist with over 30 years of experience following international football. A member of the AIPS International Sports Press Association, Jarrod has covered matches at stadiums around the world, bringing first-hand insight to every match report, player profile, and tactical analysis he writes.