Lionel Messi needed just two minutes to score in his debut for Inter Miami against Philadelphia United in the MLS.
The Flea missed the recent international break due to muscle overload, and coach Javier Mascherano decided to keep him on the bench for the Philadelphia match.
Messi came on as a substitute in the 55th minute and, after just two minutes, scored with a low right-footed shot that gave Inter Miami their second goal in a 2-1 victory.
Gol del mejor de todos los tiempos 🐐✨ pic.twitter.com/GyjzAZchhV
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) March 30, 2025
This was Messi’s fifth goal this season in all competitions, and his second in MLS, bringing his total to eight goals in six matches.
Mascherano commented on the 36-year-old’s substitution, saying, “If we had brought him on from the start, we might have risked him coming back too early. We needed to be careful, but now we’re happy with his physical condition.”
With Messi’s teammates’ victory, Inter Miami moved to 13 points at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. A tough match awaits them against Los Angeles in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals next Wednesday.
