In the early hours of August 7 (Vietnam time), Lionel Messi delivered a stellar performance, scoring his first two goals since the 2026 World Cup to help Inter Miami come from behind to beat Atletico de San Luis 4-2 in the Leagues Cup group stage. The match at Chase Stadium was played in heavy rain and was delayed for 30 minutes in the second half due to lightning.
The hosts fell behind early in the fourth minute following a header from David Rodriguez. However, Messi responded quickly in the 11th minute, controlling a long pass from Noah Allen and firing a shot past goalkeeper Andres Sanchez to level the score at 1-1.
Before the end of the first half, the Argentine superstar struck again in the 44th minute from close range, putting Inter Miami ahead 2-1. He also assisted defender Micael for a header goal in first-half stoppage time. In the second half, Telasco Segovia sealed the 4-2 victory, while Rafa Llorente scored a consolation goal for San Luis.
With this brace, Messi has now scored 14 goals in 12 Leagues Cup matches, surpassing Denis Bouanga of Los Angeles FC to become the all-time leading scorer in the tournament's four-year history. Noah Allen also made his mark with three assists, playing a key role in extending Inter Miami's unbeaten run to eight matches.
This was Messi's second match since returning from the World Cup, where he led Argentina to a second consecutive final but lost 1-0 to Spain. In his previous appearance against Columbus Crew on August 2, he played just 37 minutes as a substitute in a 2-2 draw.
Notably, Inter Miami were without Luis Suarez due to a six-match suspension for his misconduct in last year's Leagues Cup final against Seattle Sounders. The Uruguayan striker was accused of spitting toward an opposition coach and grabbing a Seattle player in a post-match altercation, where Miami lost 0-3.
Messi previously led Inter Miami to the Leagues Cup title in his first season with the club in 2023. Last year, the Florida side reached the final again but failed to defend the title.
