Lionel Messi delivered another masterclass for Inter Miami on Sunday, guiding the Herons to a dominant 4-0 win over FC Cincinnati in the MLS Eastern Conference semifinals at TQL Stadium. With a spot in the conference final against New York City FC now secured, the Argentine superstar shared an encouraging message for his teammates after the match.
In Inter Miami’s first-ever conference semifinal appearance, the club traveled to Ohio to face a Cincinnati side that had proven difficult during the 2025 regular season, with a 3–0 defeat and a scoreless draw. This time, however, Messi took full control, scoring on a header and recording a hat trick of assists, to propel Miami into the final with a historic road victory.
After the game, Messi went to social media to reflect on the team’s performance. “LET’S GOOO!!! Great match from the whole team against an opponent that had always been very tough for us. One more step…” the team captain posted on his Instagram.
Since Messi’s arrival in Fort Lauderdale, Inter Miami and FC Cincinnati have met seven times, making the matchup one of the league’s toughest for the Herons. In MLS regular season, the head-to-head sits at three wins for Cincinnati, one for Miami, and one draw (with Messi missing three of those games). Miami also won their 2023 U.S. Open Cup semifinal on penalties and added another crucial victory on Sunday to help balance the record across all competitions.
The night also marked a historic milestone for Messi, who surpassed 1,300 career goal contributions while breaking yet another MLS record. With one goal and three assists against Cincinnati, he became the player with the most goal contributions in a single MLS postseason, reaching 12 and surpassing Ante Razov (2000) and Carlos Ruiz (2002), who each recorded 10.
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What is Messi’s record vs. New York City FC?
With Cincinnati eliminated, only New York City FC stands between Inter Miami and the franchise’s first Eastern Conference title. The two sides will meet on Saturday, November 29, and with Miami finishing third in the regular season (NYCFC finished fifth), the final will be held at Chase Stadium, a venue where Messi has yet to lose to the Boys in Blue.
Messi has faced NYCFC three times, producing strong numbers in each matchup. His first meeting came in the 2025 MLS season, ending in a 1–1 draw. The two clubs met twice more this year: a 2–2 draw at Chase Stadium in which Messi provided two assists, and a commanding 4–0 win on the road, where he starred with two goals and an assist against New York City.
