Lionel Messi has taken North America by storm, scoring goals in each of his first seven games with his new club Inter Miami.
The Herons, as they're nicknamed, made a deep run in Leagues Cup tournament action and celebrated on August 19 as Messi captained them to the trophy in just his first month at the club.
His streak came to an end against FC Cincinnati in the U.S. Open Cup, but he still picked up two critical assists in that game to remain a focal point up front. He also has three multi-goal games and has remarkably made it look easy as opponents have struggled to shut down the 2022 FIFA World Cup champion and most valuable player.
The Sporting News will be tracking all his goals and stats as he battles on three competitive fronts during what's left of the 2023 season for Inter Miami.
MORE: Inter Miami beginner's guide | Messi's new stadium | Club owners | New coach
How many goals has Messi scored for Inter Miami this season?
Through 10 games with Inter Miami, Lionel Messi has scored 11 goals, a fabulous return to his short time in the United States thus far.
To this point, precious few clubs in North America — only FC Cincinnati and Nashville SC (on their second attempt) — have been able to stop Lionel Messi from scoring. Nine different clubs, including table-toppers Nashville SC (first go) and Philadelphia Union have all tried, and failed. Even Eastern Conference leaders Cincinnati fell victim in a way, as Messi bagged two assists in that game.
The best player in the world has fit in seamlessly with his new side, and has barely needed an adjustment period, which has been common for many players arriving in Major League Soccer for the first time.
We'll see how long it takes teams to catch up and figure out how to stop him.
Lionel Messi goals for Inter Miami 2023
| Date | Competition | Stage | Opponent | H/A | Result | Messi Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, July 21 | Leagues Cup | Group stage | Cruz Azul | H | W 2-1 | 1 (90'+4) | Highlights |
| Tue, July 25 | Leagues Cup | Group stage | Atlanta United | H | W 4-0 | 2 (8', 22') | Highlights |
| Wed, Aug. 2 | Leagues Cup | Round of 32 | Orlando City | H | W 3-1 | 2 (7', 72') | Highlights |
| Sun, Aug. 6 | Leagues Cup | Round of 16 | FC Dallas | A | D 4-4 (5-3 PKs) | 2 (6', 85') | Highlights |
| Fri, Aug. 11 | Leagues Cup | Quarterfinals | Charlotte FC | H | W 4-0 | 1 (86') | Highlights |
| Tue, Aug. 15 | Leagues Cup | Semifinal | Philadelphia | A | W 4-1 | 1 (20') | Highlights |
| Sat, Aug. 19 | Leagues Cup | Final | Nashville | N | D 1-1 (10-9 PKs) | 1 (24') | Highlights |
| Wed, Aug. 23 | U.S. Open Cup | Semifinal | FC Cincinnati | A | D 3-3 (5-4 PKs) | 0 | Highlights |
| Sat, Aug. 26 | MLS | Matchday 24 of 34 | NY Red Bulls | A | W 2-0 | 1 (89') | Highlights |
| Wed, Aug. 30 | MLS | Matchday 25 of 34 | Nashville SC | H | D 0-0 | 0 | Highlights |
| Sun, Sept. 3 | MLS | Matchday 26 of 34 | LAFC | A | W 3-1 | 0 | Highlights |
| Sat, Sept. 9 | MLS | Matchday 27 of 34 | Sporting KC | H | W 3-1 | DNP | Highlights |
| Sat, Sept. 16 | MLS | Matchday 28 of 34 | Atlanta United | A | |||
| Wed, Sept. 20 | MLS | Matchday 29 of 34 | Toronto FC | H | |||
| Sun, Sept. 24 | MLS | Matchday 30 of 34 | Orlando City | A | |||
| Wed, Sept. 27 | U.S. Open Cup | Final | Houston Dynamo | H | |||
| Sat, Sept. 30 | MLS | Matchday 31 of 34 | NYCFC | H | |||
| Wed, Oct. 4 | MLS | Matchday 32 of 34 | Chicago Fire | A | |||
| Sat, Oct. 7 | MLS | Matchday 33 of 34 | FC Cincinnati | H | |||
| Sat, Oct. 21 | MLS | Matchday 34 of 34 | Charlotte FC | A | |||
| TBD | MLS Playoffs | TBD | TBD | ||||
| TOTAL: | 11 games | 11 goals |
MORE: Messi's Miami apartment | Messi's wife & family | Messi's net worth
Lionel Messi stats for Inter Miami in 2023
Lionel Messi already has 11 goals in 11 matches, and so far he's making it look easy, though he's benefitted from lax marking in the penalty area which has allowed him a few easy finishes.
His 11 goals have come in 924 minutes of play, which amounts to a clip of one goal every 84 minutes.
Messi stats 2023
| Competition | Goals | Assists | Matches | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major League Soccer (MLS) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 210 |
| Leagues Cup | 10 | 1 | 7 | 594 |
| U.S. Open Cup | 0 | 2 | 1 | 120 |
| TOTALS | 11 | 5 | 11 | 924 |
Now the Leagues Cup competition is out of the way, he will hope to lift his team out of last place in MLS's Eastern Conference, and toward a potential playoff spot with 12 league matches remaining.
There will also be a U.S. Open Cup final to play in late September against Houston Dynamo, with the team on the cusp of its second trophy of Messi's tenure.
