Lionel Messi reclaims MLS Golden Boot lead after four-goal haul in historic Inter Miami rout

Lionel Messi delivered a sensational four-goal performance and an assist as Inter Miami ended their winless run with a record-breaking 7-1 victory over CF Montréal.

Lionel Messi rolled back the years with another extraordinary display on Saturday, scoring four goals and providing an assist as Inter Miami demolished CF Montréal 7-1 in a record-breaking Major League Soccer victory.

The result ended Miami’s five-game winless streak across all competitions and gave the club its biggest winning margin in history, while Messi moved to the top of the MLS Golden Boot standings with 18 goals.

Casemiro opened the scoring in the 20th minute with his first goal for the club, but Montréal responded through Fabian Herbers before Messi restored Miami’s advantage with a free-kick shortly before half-time.

The 39-year-old then produced a trademark individual moment early in the second half, weaving past defenders before finding the net again to put the hosts firmly in control.

Messi later completed his hat-trick with a delicate finish before turning provider for Luis Suárez, whose goal was followed by further strikes from academy graduate Alexander Shaw and Messi himself, who sealed his remarkable night with another free-kick deep into stoppage time.

The performance also carried major individual significance, with Messi becoming only the 19th player in MLS history to score four times in a single match and the fastest player to reach 20 games involving multiple goals, achieving the feat in just 72 appearances.

His latest haul lifted him beyond FC Dallas forward Petar Musa in the scoring race and strengthened his case for a third consecutive Landon Donovan MLS MVP award.

The victory was particularly important for Inter Miami after a difficult spell, with the club still chasing the leading teams in the Eastern Conference and hoping to build momentum in their bid to defend their MLS Cup crown.

For Casemiro, who once faced Messi as a Real Madrid player, sharing the pitch with the Argentine has now become an opportunity to witness another chapter of his extraordinary career.

“That’s what it means to have Messi on the team,” Casemiro said. “We have to enjoy these moments because he is a person, a player who makes history.”