- As D.C. United suffer 4-0 humiliation
Lionel Messi showed no signs of slowing down just days after closing the chapter on his legendary international career, netting a ruthless second-half brace to power Inter Miami to a dominant 4-0 victory over D.C. United.
Returning to club duty just four days after closing the curtain on his glittering, record-breaking career with Argentina, the 39-year-old superstar on Sunday shifted his focus entirely to rescuing his MLS club, arresting a brutal slump to secure only Miami’s second win in 11 league matches.
It was former Uruguay talisman Luis Suarez, who set the tone early, terrorizing the D.C. United defence with a devastating first-half double. Interestingly, Messi took center stage right after the break, striking in the 47th and 60th minutes to put the game completely out of reach.
The masterclass comes just one week after the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who immortalized his international legacy by lifting the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, officially waved goodbye to the global stage. He scored 126 goals in 208 appearances for La Albiceleste, making him the country’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player.
The blowout victory snaps a frustrating slump for the reigning MLS champions, as they reclaim second place in the Eastern Conference and Messi’s main focus now is helping Miami become the first team to win back-to-back titles since Los Angeles Galaxy in 2011-12.
Rolling back the years, it took a mere three minutes for Luis Suárez to break the deadlock, as the former Liverpool and Barcelona talisman buried a powerful left-footed strike into the top corner from inside the penalty area.
The 39-year-old veteran wasn’t done, as he doubled his personal tally six minutes ahead of the halftime whistle, marking his 16th league goal of the season. Suárez’s masterclass continued into the second half; he orchestrated a goal for Lionel Messi shortly after the restart, then punctuated his performance 13 minutes later by dancing past three defenders to find the back of the net again.
The clinical display solidifies Messi’s position as the MLS top scorer with 23 goals, maintaining a four-goal cushion over FC Dallas striker Petar Musa. The victory keeps second-placed Miami within striking distance in the Eastern Conference, though they still trail leaders Nashville FC by 14 points.
