Messi curled in a stunning free kick -- his 50th goal for Inter Miami -- sealing a 2-1 victory and lifting the MLS side to four points after two games. They now sit level with Palmeiras, their next opponent in the final group stage clash to decide who will advance to the round of 16.

But some estimate that Hungarian phenomenon Ferenc Puskas notched 404 assists in his career. Messi reached that number by setting up three goals in Inter Miami’s 4-0 thrashing of Cincinnati. One more assist and Messi will emphatically claim the record outright.

Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo rarely share a sentence without history being invoked, yet in the opening stretch of the 2025–26 campaign, the Norwegian has forced their names back into the same conversation.