Lionel Messi’s Leagues Cup record broken by in-form Gabonese forward
Los Angeles FC striker Denis Bouanga has overtaken Lionel Messi to become the Leagues Cup's most prolific scorer. Messi scored 10 times in the first 47-team edition of the competition last year.
However, he couldn't play in this year's edition due to an ankle injury suffered in Argentina's 1-0 extra-time win over Colombia in the 2024 Copa America final last month. In his absence, the Herons lost 3-2 to Columbus in the Round of 16 to bow out.
Meanwhile, Bouanga's goal in his team's 3-0 win over Seattle Sounders in the quarter-final on Saturday (August 17) made the Gabonese the all-time top scorer of the five-year-old Leagues Cup.
Impressively, Bouanga has 11 goals and six assists in eight games in the competition, where LAFC take on Colorado on Wednesday (August 21) for a place in the final.
LAFC boss Steve Cherundolo waxed lyrical of his striker in the MLS-Liga MX cup tournament (as per AS):
“There’s no substitute for quality players and we have quality players, namely, Denis Bouanga, for one, who is physically talented, technically talented, who also just loves scoring goals and knows where to be.”
Notably, Messi has scored 10 times and provided an assist in seven Leagues Cup game, scoring in each outing, as the Herons beat Nashville on penalties to win their first title.
How has Lionel Messi fared for Inter Miami in 2024?
Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi has had an injury-plagued first full season with the Herons, whom he joined last summer on a free transfer after nearly two decades in European football.
Despite missing a lot of games this year - including the last six across competitions since the Copa America final - Messi has struck 14 times and provided 11 assists in 15 outings.
Most of those goal contributions - 12 goals and nine assists in 12 outings - have come in MLS, where Tata Martino's side are five points ahead atop the Eastern Conference after 25 games.
Messi has missed the last seven league games - including two since his injury in the Copa America final - but the Herons have found a way to win without their talismanic captain, winning six of these outings.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is set to miss his team's upcoming MLS game with FC Cincinnati on Friday (August 24), as his timeline for returning to action remains uncertain