Lionel Messi has one recreation remaining within the common MLS season to interrupt a historic document, which is presently held by Carlos Vela.
As of writing, Messi has scored 26 targets and has produced 18 assists, which means he’s racked up 44 objective contributions through the 2025 MLS season.
Just one participant within the historical past of MLS managed to supply greater than 44 objective contributions in a season – Vela again in 2019.
The Mexican produced a whopping 49 objective contributions that season, which means that Messi remains to be 5 objective contributions wanting the document, with one recreation remaining.
It’s price noting that in 2019, Vela made 33 league appearances, whereas Messi has solely performed 27 video games this season.
Certainly, by way of their minutes per objective contribution ratio, Messi in 2025 has been extra productive than Vela in 2019.
This season, Messi has averaged a objective or help each 52.9 minutes in MLS, whereas Vela averaged a objective contribution each 59.3 minutes throughout his record-breaking season.
Can Messi break the document?
With just one recreation remaining within the common season and Messi needing 5 objective contributions to tie degree with Vela, it’s a giant ask – even for Messi.
Nonetheless, when the Argentine magician is concerned, nothing is not possible.
Inter Miami will face Nashville away from dwelling of their closing league fixture earlier than starting their marketing campaign within the playoffs.
It’s price mentioning that Inter Miami do have a great head-to-head document with Nashville, having gained their earlier three head-to-head fixtures with them within the league.
Nonetheless, to ensure that Messi to interrupt the document, Javier Mascherano’s facet might want to rating not less than 5 targets.
Throughout 2025, Miami have scored 5 targets on two events in MLS, in opposition to Columbus Crew and New York Pink Bulls.
Messi’s document in opposition to Nashville
Messi boasts an excellent document in opposition to Nashville, which ought to give him confidence heading into the weekend.
He’s performed in opposition to them on six events throughout all competitions and has scored seven targets and supplied two assists.
Of the six occasions that he’s confronted Nashville, he’s solely didn’t register a objective contribution in a kind of matches – throughout a goalless draw again in 2023.
With the form of kind that Messi is in proper now, having produced 14 objective contributions in his final seven matches, he needs to be stuffed with confidence heading into the weekend.
“He’s a participant who exhibits us the right way to compete, his starvation, his want to proceed competing,” Mascherano stated when describing Messi.
“He’s the one who pulls us ahead. We all know having him provides us a bonus, however above all (he helps us) via his contagious spirit, the successful spirit that he has.”
No matter whether or not or not Messi breaks Vela’s document on Saturday, his 2025 marketing campaign will go down as among the finest in MLS historical past.
Having solely performed 27 video games, he’s already produced extra objective contributions than the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Josef Martínez or Sebastian Giovinco ever managed in a season.
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