Lionel Messi once again showcased his quality with a clutch performance Saturday against the LA Galaxy, delivering both a goal and an assist. After getting on the scoresheet, the Argentine legend reached another major Major League Soccer milestone, ranking second only to a former Inter Miami teammate.
Returning from the muscle injury he picked up against Necaxa earlier in August, Messi came off the bench in the second half against LA Galaxy. With the score tied 1-1, he produced a brilliant solo effort in the 84th minute, smashing home a strike to put Miami ahead before adding a clever backheel assist to Luis Suárez just minutes later.
With his goal against the Galaxy, Lionel Messi became the second-fastest player in MLS history to reach 40 career goals. Since joining in mid-2023 as a free agent from Paris Saint-Germain, he has hit the mark in just over two years, appearing in 44 league matches to reach the milestone.
Messi has already rewritten MLS history in 2025. Earlier this season, he became the fastest player to reach 40 goal contributions—21 goals and 19 assists—in only 26 games. More recently, he set another benchmark by recording more than two goals in five consecutive matches, the longest streak in league history.
Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF scores the team’s second goal whilst under pressure from Edwin Cerrillo #6 of LA Galaxy during the MLS match between Inter Miami CF and LA Galaxy at Chase Stadium on August 16, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Now 38 years old, Messi is on pace to surpass his best season with Inter Miami, which came in 2024 when he registered 23 goals and 13 assists in 25 games. This year, he already has 25 goals and 11 assists in 32 appearances, and with both the Leagues Cup and MLS playoffs still ahead, he could set numbers rarely seen in the league.
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Josef Martinez, the only name above Messi
Josef Martinez once shared the pitch with Messi at Inter Miami, helping the club capture the their first major trophy: the 2023 Leagues Cup. But years before their partnership, Martinez had already secured his place in MLS history.
As part of Atlanta United’s high-powered attack during the club’s early years in the league, Martinez—teaming up with Miguel Almiron—stunned fans with his scoring efficiency. With Atlanta, he became the fastest player ever to reach 40 MLS goals, doing it in just 42 games—two fewer than Messi’s tally.
