Lionel Messi<\/a> and Inter Miami CF<\/a> are heating up. And right on cue.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n In their final match before next month’s FIFA Club World Cup<\/a>, Messi and the Herons delivered a dominant 5-1 home rout<\/a> of the Columbus Crew<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The legendary Argentine No. 10 put in a 2g\/3a performance on Saturday night, rivaling his remarkable 1g\/5a output from a 6-2 win<\/a> over the New York Red Bulls<\/a> last year to enter the MLS record books.<\/p>\n Messi became just the second player in league history to record at least five goal contributions twice in a regular-season match, equalling the Crew’s Diego Rossi,<\/a> who accomplished the feat with LAFC<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n In addition to his brace, the reigning Landon Donovan MLS MVP played helper on goals from Tadeo Allende<\/a>, Luis Su\u00e1rez<\/a> and Faf\u00e0 Picault<\/a> to extend Miami’s unbeaten run to three straight games (2W-0L-1D).<\/p>\n “Clearly, he’s the best player in history to play this sport,” head coach Javier Mascherano told reporters of Messi, who has 5g\/4a during this three-game stretch. “And we have to understand that when he’s not excelling too much, it’s because some of us are failing. That’s the reality.”<\/p>\n “… That’s the admiration: seeing someone else do what you can’t do. You want to, but you can’t.”<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The second player in MLS history to twice register 5+ goal contributions in a single game.<\/p>\n Messi things. ???? pic.twitter.com\/30Ik15Ozvj<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 1, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Messi and Miami’s improved run of form comes after a rough stretch in which the Herons managed just one win in eight games across all competitions since their previous showdown against the Crew: a 1-0 victory<\/a> on April 19 at Cleveland\u2019s Huntington Bank Field.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course winning like this, in this manner, does give us confidence,\u201d said Mascherano. \u201cIt shows us that if we are brave, if we remain calm, if we have the desire to compete, we can match up toe-to-toe with anyone \u2013 especially in MLS.”<\/p>\n As for the Club World Cup, which Miami will officially kick off against Egyptian side Al Ahly on June 14 in the tournament’s opening match, the Argentine manager was far more cautious.<\/p>\n “The Club World Cup? That is a different story,” Mascherano said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n What a night so far \u2728 pic.twitter.com\/AA0g5QWXe4<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) June 1, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Mascherano, himself a two-time Club World Cup winner, is not looking beyond the inaugural game.<\/p>\n \u201cOur objective is to win the first match. Like I always say, only focus on the next game in front of us \u2013 that is the objective,” he said.<\/p>\n “If we are up to the standard of the competition, we will show it.”<\/p>\n After hosting Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium, the Herons will face Portuguese titans FC Porto on June 19 at Atlanta United<\/a>‘s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They’ll return to Hard Rock on June 23 for their Group A finale against Brazilian powerhouse Palmeiras.<\/p>\n “We have to be honest,” Mascherano said. “The level [of play] will be higher than what we’ve faced in Concacaf [Champions Cup] and MLS.”<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n <\/main><\/p>\n<\/div>\nMessi magic<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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Back to basics<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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The world’s stage<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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