Lionel Messi is at his best amid chaos.<\/p>\n
In the 52nd minute against CF Montreal on Saturday in Miami, Messi found himself in a bind. As the Inter Miami forward gallivanted on the ball toward the net, it was poked away from him but deflected back to Messi in a crowd right inside the box.<\/p>\n
In two deft moves, the 39-year-old cut past two defenders while ducking under the arm of another, leaving all three grabbing at air as he buried a right-footed shot.<\/p>\n
It was the second of a four-goal night for Messi. He also added an assist in Miami\u2019s 7-1 demolition of Montreal, which ended a five-game winless streak amid a period of turnover and uncertainty in the defending champions\u2019 coaching ranks.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were in a bad way coming into tonight,\u201d Apple TV play-by-play announcer Steve Cangialosi said on the broadcast. \u201cNot anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dancing through the defense \ud83e\udd2f<\/p>\n
Messi scores his second of the game and is now tied for most goals this season with 16 \ud83d\ude33<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udcfa Watch on Apple TV: https:\/\/t.co\/MFnT751CHE<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/QRJpqJL1pC<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 30, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n On Thursday, Cristian \u201cKily\u201d Gonz\u00e1lez<\/a> was hired as the club\u2019s sixth manager<\/a> since its founding in January 2020. However, Gonz\u00e1lez couldn\u2019t be on the sidelines due to not having secured an American work permit yet.<\/p>\n Interim coach Guillermo Hoyos, who has been in charge since Javier Mascherano left in April, had to serve a one-match suspension due to repeated violations of the league\u2019s late kickoff policy. That left Inter Miami assistant coaches to man the touchline against Montreal, while Hoyos was forced to watch from a seat in a box at the top of Nu Stadium.<\/p>\n They all got to watch Messi, an eight-time Ballon d\u2019Or winner fresh off carrying Argentina to a second consecutive World Cup final appearance, steady the rocking ship in South Florida.<\/p>\n Casemiro opened the night for Miami with a 20th-minute header goal from a corner kick, before Montreal midfielder Fabian Herbers equalized in the 37th.<\/p>\n Messi\u2019s account started with a 40th-minute free kick. He curved a low-driven shot around the wall that bounced and deflected off Montreal defender Luca Petrasso and off the shoulder of Montreal goalie Thomas Gillier before ricocheting into the net. It put Miami up 2-1, which held until half time.<\/p>\n In the second half, Messi completely commandeered the proceedings.<\/p>\n His second goal of the night was his aforementioned 52nd-minute wizardry to go up 3-1. In the 80th, his one-touch chip over the defense sent teammate Luis Su\u00e1rez streaking alone into the box. The former FC Barcelona stars connected and Su\u00e1rez finished, making it 4-1.<\/p>\n In the 83rd, Messi chipped a shot to beat Gillier and complete the hat trick at 5-1. In the 89th, Miami\u2019s 18-year-old substitute midfielder Alexander Shaw buried one from outside the box to make it six, and in the 96th, Messi was granted the last touch of the ball with a free kick from just outside the half-circle atop the box.<\/p>\n His fourth goal of the night punched the back of the net, welcoming the final whistle seconds later. The match only ended once Messi had the final say.<\/p>\n A night to remember for Lionel Messi \ud83e\udd2f<\/p>\n Four goals and an assist to lead @InterMiamiCF<\/a> to a 7-1 win over Montreal.<\/p>\n