November 8
Messi Never Stops Breaking Records
It was not a perfect night for Lionel Messi at the conclusion of the Major League Soccer (MLS) regular season, as he watched Inter Miami squander a three-goal lead on home turf. Nevertheless, the Argentine star walked away with a historic achievement—a milestone never before reached by any other player in the league's history.
Although he failed to find the back of the net against Charlotte FC, Messi finished the 2026 season as the top scorer with 26 goals, securing the Golden Boot for the second consecutive year—following his 29-goal tally the previous season.
With this feat, the 39-year-old became the first player in MLS history to win the Golden Boot in two consecutive seasons—an unprecedented historic achievement—and the sixth player to win the award more than once.
Messi’s scoring prowess was not reliant on penalties; he netted 25 goals from open play and only one from the penalty spot. This marks the second-highest total of non-penalty goals in a single season in the league's history, trailing only his own record of 28 such goals set in 2025.
He also concluded the season with 17 assists, bringing his total goal contributions to 43—leading the league in this category as well. In doing so, he became the first player in MLS history to record at least 40 goal contributions in two consecutive seasons. Disallowed Goal Precedes Miami’s Surge
The clash at "No Stadium" saw a dramatic turn of events from the very opening minutes. Charlotte thought they had taken the lead in the fourth minute through Liel Abada, but the goal was disallowed following a VAR review due to a handball by Iuri Tavares in the build-up.
Inter Miami avoided falling behind and capitalized on the situation, taking the lead in the 14th minute through Ian Fray, who pounced on a rebound inside the penalty area following a corner kick.
In the 33rd minute, Messi’s influence was felt once again; he delivered a corner kick that Germán Berterame headed toward the goal, with Luis Suárez then steering the ball into the net.
Three minutes before the end of the first half, Rodrigo de Paul added a third goal with a powerful strike from outside the box, sending Inter Miami into the break with a 3-0 lead.
However, what unfolded after the interval turned the match completely on its head.
Five Minutes That Brought Charlotte Back into the Game
Charlotte emerged for the second half a different side, narrowing the deficit in the 50th minute when Liel Abada converted a cross from Tyger Smalls.
The visitors didn’t have to wait long; just five minutes later, Abada struck again—his second of the match—after exchanging passes with Pep Biel before firing a precise shot into the far corner.
Messi nearly extinguished Charlotte’s hopes of a comeback when he attempted to chip the ball over the goalkeeper, but defender Henry Kessler cleared it off the goal line. As Inter Miami sought to protect their lead, Charlotte capitalized on defensive disarray. The decisive moment arrived in the 90th minute when a shot by Smalls rebounded off the post and fell to Rodolfo Uloko, who slotted it into the net to complete the comeback.
Messi did not give up; he nearly snatched a victory in stoppage time, but his shot struck the post, and the match ended in a 3–3 draw.
A recurring scenario—and a painful memory from the clash with Orlando.
Squandering a three-goal lead was not an isolated incident for Inter Miami during the 2026 season. The team endured an even harsher scenario on May 2nd, when they surged to a 3–0 lead against Orlando City within the first 33 minutes, only to ultimately lose the match 3–4.
That encounter featured a standout performance by Martín Ojeda, who netted a hat-trick. Orlando began their comeback with a goal before halftime, added two more in the second half, and then saw Tyrese Spicer score the winner in the 93rd minute.
Orlando’s comeback was historic, making them only the fourth team in Major League Soccer history to win a match after trailing by three goals—and the first to do so since 2018.
Consequently, the draw against Charlotte has brought a concerning defensive issue back to the fore for Inter Miami, marking the second time this season they have surrendered a three-goal lead on home soil—though, on this occasion, they managed to avoid defeat. Messi Eyes Another Milestone in the Playoffs
Despite the draw, Inter Miami finished the regular season in second place in the Eastern Conference with 60 points, benefiting from New England’s 1–0 loss to Orlando.
Messi’s team will begin its playoff campaign against the seventh-seeded Columbus Crew, in a first-round series decided by a best-of-three format.
Meanwhile, Nashville secured the top spot in the Eastern Conference, reaching 77 points after a 2–0 victory over Cincinnati. In doing so, they broke the previous record for the most points in a single regular season—a record previously held by Inter Miami, who had set it at 74 points in 2024.
