Leo Messi is set to make his 50th appearance for Inter Miami this weekend against the Columbus Crew. The Argentina star has already recorded 42 goals and 20 assists in his first 49 matches, surpassing his returns from both Barcelona and Paris in his first half-century of official games for each.
Messi joined Major League Soccer in July 2023 and made an instant impact. He scored the winner in stoppage time on his debut against Cruz Azul, coming off the bench. In his first nine outings, he netted 10 goals and provided three assists.
Following a quieter spell between the end of 2023 and early 2024 – when he delivered three assists in six games and struggled with injury – Messi hit top form again in February. In the next ten matches, he scored in nine of them, registering 12 goals and 11 assists, including five in a single match against the New York Red Bulls.
Since then, he has featured in 24 more matches, adding another 19 goals and four assists to his tally. His favourite opponents so far have been Atlanta United.
Messi has faced them seven times – more than any other side – played 557 minutes and started six of those fixtures. In terms of output, Atlanta, Nashville and New England Revolution have each conceded five goals to him, while Messi's combined goals and assists total against Nashville and New York Red Bulls also stands at seven.
The numbers show the striker's most prolific start at a club, despite the MLS being considered a less competitive league than La Liga or Ligue 1. In contrast to his early days at Barcelona, Messi is now 37 and operating without the level of support he once had, making his current form even more remarkable.
Messi made his debut for Barcelona on 17 April 2005 at the age of 17 against Getafe. He came off the bench in seven of his first ten appearances. His 50th match came on 10 March 2007 in a memorable 3-3 draw against Real Madrid, where he completed a hat-trick in the 91st minute. By that milestone, he had scored 16 goals and assisted five.
At PSG, his numbers improved slightly. He made his official debut on 29 August 2021 against Reims and scored his first goal in his fourth appearance, a Champions League match against Manchester City. By his 50th game in Paris, he had scored 22 goals and provided 26 assists.
Now at Inter Miami, his combined total of 62 goal involvements in his first 49 matches clearly stands out.