Three more goal-or-assist matches would put Messi level with his career best

At 39, Lionel Messi continues to set the pace for Inter Miami. The captain is in the middle of another outstanding run, and his next three goal contributions could establish a new career benchmark.

Messi has scored or assisted in each of his last 14 appearances, a streak that began on Aug. 15 with an assist in a 4-1 victory over Nashville. It encompasses 12 consecutive MLS matches and two notable fixtures outside the league.

On Sept. 16, he scored his 100th goal for Inter Miami and assisted Casemiro in a 2-0 victory over Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup final. On Oct. 6, in his farewell appearance for Argentina, he converted a penalty and created two goals in a 3-0 win over Benin.

Across the run, Messi has 15 goals and eight assists. His latest performance came on Oct. 17, when he scored twice in a 3-1 win at Atlanta United, taking his MLS total for the season to 25 goals.

His longest previous streak came in 2011, when he scored 18 goals and provided nine assists over 17 consecutive official matches with Barcelona. Three more goal-or-assist performances would move him level with that record.

That opportunity is close at hand. Inter Miami have four regular-season games remaining, with visits to Red Bull New York and the New England Revolution, a home fixture against FC Cincinnati, and a finale against Charlotte FC on Nov. 7. A goal or assist in each of the next three matches would match Messi’s career-best mark, while doing so against Charlotte FC would establish a new record.

How Messi has fueled Inter Miami’s scoring surge

The streak began at Nashville, where Messi provided the assist in a 4-1 win over the team now closing in on the Supporters’ Shield. Since then, he has scored 13 goals and added five assists across 12 consecutive MLS matches.

Messi has scored in eight of those matches and assisted in five, with several exceptional performances along the way: four goals in a 7-1 rout of CF Montreal, a goal and an assist in a 2-2 draw with Nashville, and a brace in a 4-0 victory over D.C. United.

Regardless of whether Messi breaks the record, the timing could not be better for Inter Miami. The defending MLS Cup champions are heading into the playoffs with their captain in exceptional form. With the Supporters’ Shield no longer within reach, Messi’s remarkable consistency remains a central reason Miami can mount a credible defense of their title.

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