Messi Shines with Two Goals in Inter Miami's Victory Over Atlanta United
Lionel Messi scored two goals in Inter Miami's convincing 4-0 victory over Atlanta United, just one day after being rested by Argentina for their friendly match against Venezuela.
The Argentine captain, who is 38 years old, was called up for the friendly match against Venezuela at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, the home of the NFL's Miami Dolphins, as well as for a subsequent game against Puerto Rico, which has been moved from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale.
Despite the MLS continuing its schedule during the international break, there was uncertainty about Messi's participation in Inter Miami's penultimate regular season match on Saturday.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner trained with the Argentine national team throughout the week but watched from the stands as Argentina secured a 1-0 victory over Venezuela, with national coach Lionel Scaloni opting to evaluate the pairing of Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez.
Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano revealed that they requested Messi's release from the national team to participate in the home match. He started against Atlanta, scoring his first goal in the 39th minute and adding a second in the 87th minute, bringing his total to 26 goals and placing him at the top of the MLS scoring charts.
Messi also provided an assist for Jordi Alba's goal in the second half, while Luis Suarez contributed another goal for Miami.
"Before the match yesterday, I spoke with [Argentina manager Lionel] Scaloni, who informed me that Messi would not be used and would be sitting out. I then reached out to Leo to see if he could play," said Mascherano.
"It was his decision, and he recognized the opportunity to contribute since he wasn't going to play against Venezuela. Leo was, of course, ready to step in. He is an exceptional player, an icon, and even though he didn't train with us last week, his performance today speaks volumes. He helped us secure the win and scoring was important for him."
Inter Miami has already secured a playoff spot and currently sits third in the Eastern Conference, tied on points with second-placed FC Cincinnati.