Lionel Messi didn’t need a pre-season. Nor did he need much preparation before transforming the team that, before this summer’s Leagues Cup 2023, was the worst team in the MLS regular season so far this year.
Simply put, the Argentinian maestro has been on the scoresheet in every single one of the games he’s played during the tournament. He scored a late winner from a free-kick on his debut against Cruz Azul, before netting his first double in the second group stage match against Atlanta United FC.
He then scored another brace in the round of 32 match-up against Orlando City SC, before repeating the feat in the very next game against FC Dallas. In the quarter-finals, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner scored the last of his team’s four goals against Charlotte FC. In tonight’s semi-final against the Philadelphia Union he was once again on target with a long-range strike into the bottom corner.
When adding the assist he gave for Robert Taylor’s goal against Atlanta United FC, Messi has now racked up an impressive ten goal involvements in just six games.
In this kind of form, the Argentine will undoubtedly have his sights on the MLS records. For now, though, he’s already the all-time top goalscorer in the history of Leagues Cup, as well as being Inter Miami CF’s top scorer this season.
