On Messi's 100th Goal: Inter Miami Defeats Toronto FC with Four Goals
Argentine Lionel Messi, captain of Inter Miami CF, became the fastest player to reach 100 goal contributions in Major League Soccer (MLS) history after his team's 4-2 victory over Toronto FC on Saturday in the 12th round of the league.
By scoring one goal and providing two assists in the match, the Argentine captain reached his historic milestone in just 64 games, 31 fewer than Italian Sebastian Giovinco. Robbie Keane of LA Galaxy comes in third with 62 goals and 39 assists in 96 games.
Argentine midfielder De Paul opened the scoring for Inter Miami in the 44th minute with a shot from outside the penalty area, bringing his tally to three goals this season. Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez doubled Inter Miami's lead in the 56th minute, capitalizing on a precise pass from Messi to fire a left-footed shot from the left side of the penalty area.
Spanish defender Sergio Reguilón added a third goal in the 73rd minute with a low shot from the right side of the penalty area after a perfectly weighted pass from Messi, his fourth goal of the season.
Messi got on the scoresheet in the 75th minute after combining with De Paul to break into the penalty area and slot the ball home with his left foot from the center, scoring his ninth goal of the season and his 100th career goal contribution.
The home team narrowed the gap with two goals in the 82nd and 90th minutes, bringing Inter Miami's total to 22 points in second place, just one point behind Nashville, the leaders of the 15-team Western Conference. Toronto FC remained on 14 points in ninth place. Messi arrived in South Florida in the summer of 2023 after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expired. He led the team to its first four historic titles: the Ligue 1 Cup in 2023, the Fans' Shield in 2024, the Eastern Conference Championship in 2025, and the Copa del Rey in 2025. Individually, Leo won the Golden Boot in 2025 and the FIFA Best Player award in both 2024 and 2025, becoming the first player to win it twice consecutively.