Lionel Messi’s magic is inevitable. Less than two weeks after retiring from international duty with Argentina, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner brought back memories of his last standout moments for La Albiceleste on Saturday night in MLS action. 

Playing at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the first time since leading Argentina past England in the 2026 World Cup semifinal, Messi channeled his best to score a brace in a 3–1 win against Atlanta United, securing his side’s first three-game win streak since July. 

At the same time, his 25 goals and 15 assists this season made him the first player in MLS history to have 15 assists in three straight seasons. 

Yet, the goals weren’t ordinary; they brought flashes of the Messi of old, the player who once dribbled through the world’s best defenders in the greatest European competitions. While Atlanta United’s struggling backline may not measure up to those heights, Messi made them look equally foolish. 

On his first goal, he picked up the ball in midfield and quickly dribbled nearly the entire half, before a quick layoff and first-time finish for his 24th goal of the season. Later on, he netted his 25th, further extending his lead atop the MLS Golden Boot standings.

For new Inter Miami manager Kily Gonzàlez, nothing about it was surprising. 

“I can’t believe this guy does what he does at 39 years of age," González said. “And what makes me happiest is that he’s happy ... So if he’s happy, he performs the way he performs; he enjoys ... Every day that I see him, I smile.”

Gonzàlez’s admiration for his new No. 10 has not quite matched the level of previous manager Guillermo Hoyos, who regularly praised Messi despite poor performances. He is more in line with 2025 MLS Cup-winning manager Javier Mascherano, who was rightly impressed but knew the team’s success had to be prioritized over the twilight of a legendary career. 

“What do I admire about him? Everything,” added González. “He’s a player who never stops surprising you ... To me, he’s an alien.

“He’s a player who amazes me in every action, during every training session that I watch. And God willing, he’ll keep on amazing us until the day he decides to retire.”

Inter Miami Chasing Form

Picking up a third straight win and allowing just one goal in the last three games, Inter Miami are pulling into form at the right time. Their early-season performances gave them enough cushion to get through a spell of one win in 10 games, and the recent uptick under González could set them up to defend their MLS Cup title. 

Messi, meanwhile, is the favorite to claim a third straight MLS MVP Award and a second consecutive MLS Golden Boot as he eyes the postseason with his Herons. Before they can focus too much on that, though, they will look to secure second place in the Eastern Conference through remaining fixtures against Red Bull New York, FC Cincinnati, the New England Revolution and Charlotte FC. 

“My idea is for the team to keep on improving,” added González. “Today, we showed our character away from home against an opponent coming off a 3–0 win and in need of a win.”