Lionel Messi lifts his 46th career trophy: Decoding stats
Inter Miami clinched their first-ever Major League Soccer (MLS) Supporters's Shield, thanks to a stellar performance by Lionel Messi. The Argentine forward scored two goals in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Columbus Crew. Messi's opening goal was a skillful chip over goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, followed by an impressive free-kick just before half-time. This victory marks another milestone in Messi's illustrious career, adding the 46th trophy to his collection. Here's more.
Inter Miami secure top spot and home advantage
The win against Columbus Crew ensured that Inter Miami finished at the top of the table, a position that comes with significant advantages. As Messi explained post-match, "The first objective has been achieved and now we have to think about what's next." He emphasized the importance of home games during playoffs stating, "We have the great advantage of playing all games at home, which is what we were looking for."
Inter Miami's unbeaten streak and record chase
Inter Miami are currently on a nine-game unbeaten streak, with three draws following five consecutive victories. The team needs two more wins from their remaining league matches to surpass the MLS record for most points in a regular season. This record is currently held by the New England Revolution who scored 73 points in 2021.
Messi and Suarez's contributions to Inter Miami's success
Inter Miami's successful season can be largely attributed to the contributions of Messi and Luis Suarez. Together, they have scored nearly half of the team's goals this season, with a combined total of 35 out of 72 goals in 31 matches. Despite missing some games due to injury and international duties, Messi leads the team in assists and overall goal contributions in just 16 appearances.
Decoding Messi's club career trophies
Domestically, Messi won 10 La Liga honors with FC Barcelona in addition to lifting seven Copa del Rey trophies and eight Spanish Supercups. In Europe, Messi helped Barcelona win four Champions League honors and three UEFA Super Cups. He also won three FIFA Club World Cups. For Paris Saint-Germain, the Argentine won two Ligue 1 titles and one Trophee des Champions. For Inter Miami, Messi has bagged the Leagues Cup and Supporters Shield.
Messi has won several trophies with Argentina
In international football, Messi has lifted the coveted FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. He has also won two Copa America titles, one Finalissima, one U20 World Cup and one Olympic gold medal (U23).
Decoding Messi's goals and assists for club and country
Messi scored a record 672 goals for Barcelona in 778 appearances before netting 32 times in 75 matches for PSG. Meanwhile, he has raced to 30 goals for Inter Miami in 34 matches. For Argentina, he has scored 109 goals. Overall, Messi owns a total of 375 assists under his belt. In club football, Messi has 734 goals and 320 assists. He also has 55 assists for Argentina in addition to his 109 goals.
