"Football made easy", "I was told he was washed" - Fans react as Lionel Messi sets new MLS record in Inter Miami's 3-1 win
Netizens lavished praise on Lionel Messi as he set yet another record upon his return to the Inter Miami squad after two months. The Argentine scored twice and assisted once against Philadelphia Union on September 15 to reach 15 goals and 15 assists in 19 MLS games, becoming the fastest-ever to reach that milestone.
Philadelphia Union scored with barely 60 seconds on the clock courtesy of Mikael Uhre (1'). The lead didn't last long, with Lionel Messi making it 1-1 in the 26th minute. Messi unleashed a shot just inside the penalty area, via a Luis Suarez assist.
Messi then combined with yet another ex-Barca teammate, as Jordi Alba delivered a cross into the box for him to turn it home in the 30th minute. The Argentine finally ended his two-month absence by setting up Suarez's final goal during stoppage time (90+8'), which made the scoreline 3-1.
Fans hopped onto X to rave about Lionel Messi's signature comeback.
"Football made easy," wrote one fan on X.
"i was told he was washed," tweeted another.
"We’ll never see another player like this again. Cherish it while we have him!" declared another netizen.
One fan compared this performance with Messi's 2012 performance, when he scored 73 goals and created 32 more in 60 games for the club in all competitions.
"Messi unlocking his 2012 version only Cures me," opined the fan on X.
"30 G/A in 19 matches !!! Bro ageing like fine wine," agreed another.
"Lionel Messi’s move to Major League Soccer (MLS) has been a significant event in the world of football," inferred another fan on X.
"The truth is, I’m a bit tired" - Lionel Messi opens up about his recovery
Lionel Messi opened up about his extended recovery time after Inter Miami's game on September 15.
The Argentine took a heavy blow on his right ankle during Argentina's clash against Colombia in the 2024 Copa America final. He had to be subbed off for Nicolas Gonzalez in the 66th minute. Cameras caught him in tears on the Albiceleste bench with a severely swollen ankle that left him out of action for two months.
In an interview after his comeback game, Messi talked about the humid climate of Miami.
"The truth is, I’m a bit tired because of the humidity and the heat in Miami. I was really looking forward to playing again after so much time. We know the team we have, we’re deservedly in the first place," said Messi.
Messi and Co. will face Atlanta United next at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 19.