Inter Miami boss Javier Mascherano says he and his club are ‘so spoiled’ by Lionel Messi after the Argentine scored twice in their 4-2 win over Montreal on Wednesday.
Messi Nets Brace In 4-2 Win Over CF Montreal
Lionel Messi was the star of the show for Inter Miami once again on Wednesday evening, as he registered two goals and an assist in a 4-2 win over CF Montreal, ending his side’s four-game winless run in the MLS.
Messi opened the scoring in the 27th minute with a beautifully curled effort from the edge of the box, followed by a quick-fire double from Luis Suarez, before the Argentine rounded off the win in added time.
It takes his tally to eight league goals in 12 matches for the campaign, five behind top goalscorer Tai Baribo.
Suarez ➡️ Messi ⚽⚽✨😮💨 pic.twitter.com/gwfZktYwl0
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) May 29, 2025
Since beating the New York Red Bulls at the start of the month, the Herons suffered heavy defeats to Minnesota and Orlando, while they were also held to 3-3 stalemates by the San Jose Earthquakes and Philadelphia Union.
They can officially put that run behind them now though, as they look to reclaim the Eastern Conference title.
Mascherano: Inter Miami Are ‘Spoiled’ By Messi
Speaking to the press in the aftermath of his side’s win, Mascherano said: “Well, Leo [Messi] is a player who has us so spoiled that it looks like all he does is easy to do, and at this stage of his career and the reality is it is not only his play but how he competes, it is contagious, and we all follow his lead.”
He continued, touching on Suarez after his brace: “As for Luis, I am very happy for him. A player who has scored so many goals over his career, I am sure it was tough and strange to go through a stretch of games without scoring. But his effort and desire were always there.”
The Urugayan had scored just two goals in his last 11 MLS matches prior to Wednesday night’s double in Fort Lauderdale, and Mascherano was asked whether his poor form in the leadup to the game is a concern.
“I’m not here to single anyone out. You can do whatever analysis you want, you have that right, that is your job. We try to analyze different situations. We know how important Luis is for the club in general.
“The club, a year-and-a-half ago, decided to go with this project and we have to adapt to that.”
What’s Next For Messi and Inter Miami?
Thanks to the convincing win over Montreal, Inter Miami have moved up to sixth place in the Eastern Conference table, seven points adrift of league leaders Philadelphia Union.
Messi and Suarez, who recently teamed up to launch a Uruguayan soccer team, return to action on Saturday with a home clash against Columbus Crew.
Their attentions will then turn to the FIFA Club World Cup, which gets underway on June 15th in the US. The Herons have been drawn into Group A alongside Al Ahly of Egypt, Porto of Portugal and Palmeiras of Brazil.
They kickstart their campaign against Al Ahly at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, followed by a trip to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to face Porto, before returning to the Hard Rock to take on Palmeiras.
