Lionel Messi scored two goals and provided one assist to lead Inter Miami to a 4-2 victory against Atlético de San Luis in the Leagues Cup. The match was the opening game of the tournament for both teams, giving Inter Miami their first three points in the competition that pits Major League Soccer teams against Liga MX clubs.
The match marked Messi's return to the starting lineup for the first time since the 2026 World Cup final. The Argentine player had previously logged more than half an hour off the bench in Inter Miami's draw against Columbus Crew the previous weekend.
Atlético de San Luis took an early lead just five minutes into the match. However, the game quickly became an uphill battle for the Mexican side as Inter Miami took control of the first half.
Inter Miami scored four times in the opening 45 minutes and had another goal disallowed for offside. Messi scored the equalizer ten minutes into the match, finishing a shot from inside the penalty area after arriving from behind.
First half scoring blitz
Telasco Segovia put Inter Miami ahead 2-1 following a pass from Noah Allen, who finished the match with three assists in a display reminiscent of Jordi Alba at his best. Messi then expanded the lead by finishing a passing sequence between himself, Yannick Bright, and Allen.
Messi later delivered a corner kick directly onto the head of Micael, who scored Inter Miami's fourth goal of the half. The four-goal outburst built a commanding lead before the halftime break.
Atlético de San Luis returned for the second half with much more aggression. Rafa Llorente narrowed the scoreline by scoring a goal from outside the penalty area, and San Luis created several additional attacks before the referee halted the match due to a storm alert.
Weather delay and post match comments
The weather stoppage proved to be a relief for Inter Miami, as the team was being outplayed by San Luis prior to the delay. Although Inter Miami remained defensive and pinned back after play restarted, they avoided conceding any major scoring chances.
After the match, Inter Miami manager Guillermo Hoyos compared Messi to the painter Pablo Picasso. Hoyos said that there were no adjectives to describe Messi, noting that his players had shown him Messi's first goal. He added that those who have played football know what it is like, and stated that if they were talking about painting, Messi would be Picasso.
