Mascherano compares Messi to Jordan and Nadal after another unforgettable night in MLS
Lionel Messi is making Major League Soccer his personal playground. The Argentine maestro was once again the difference-maker, this time dismantling the 2024 MLS Cup finalists with a clinical display that featured two goals and two assists in Inter Miami’s emphatic 5-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls.
Messi’s latest brace — his sixth in the past seven games — brought his goal tally to 18 for the season and underlined his staggering impact in North America. In fact, he has now directly contributed to 25 of Inter Miami’s goals, a ridiculous return even by his own lofty standards.
Despite going behind early to an Alexander Hack header from a corner, Miami responded with style and ruthlessness. Messi pulled the strings in vintage fashion, assisting Jordi Alba for the equalizer with a sublime pass before playing a key role in the second goal just minutes later — combining again with Alba, who squared for Telasco Segovia to score.
The Herons added a third before halftime, with Segovia grabbing his second after capitalizing on some pinball chaos in the Red Bulls box. Miami’s three first-half goals came from just 0.67 xG — a testament to their sharp finishing.
In the second half, Messi wasn’t done.
The GOAT latched onto a brilliant through-ball from Sergio Busquets to make it 4-1 with a trademark composed finish. Then, after a silky passing sequence involving Benjamin Cremaschi and Luis Suárez, Messi struck again — coolly slotting past Carlos Coronel to complete the rout.
Inter Miami Player Ratings vs New York Red Bulls
Goalkeeper & Defense
Rocco Ríos Novo (5/10): Nervy in goal and looked shaky early on. Conceded from a set piece and never looked fully confident while standing in for the injured Ustari.
Marcelo Weigandt (5/10): Out of rhythm and struggled against the Red Bulls’ wide threats. A clumsy yellow just before halftime capped a frustrating outing.
Maxi Falcón (6/10): Decent in open play but poor discipline saw him booked, ruling him out of the next match.
Gonzalo Luján (7/10): Steady and error-free. Stepped into the XI and barely put a foot wrong.
Jordi Alba (8/10): Rolled back the years. Scored the equalizer and assisted the second — showed his class on both ends of the pitch.
Midfield
Tadeo Allende (5/10): Subdued performance. Failed to influence proceedings and was subbed off after an hour.
Sergio Busquets (8/10): Ran the show in midfield and delivered an outrageous assist for Messi’s first goal. Still oozes class.
Federico Redondo (6/10): Disciplined and reliable, though he didn’t offer much going forward.
Telasco Segovia (9/10): A two-goal outing capped off with mature movement and efficient finishing. Made the most of every opportunity.
Attack
Luis Suárez (7/10): His frustration in front of goal continued, but his assist for Messi’s second was world-class. Mixed outing, but the final pass redeemed him.
Lionel Messi (10/10): Untouchable. Two goals, two assists, and moments of pure genius throughout. It’s hard to describe performances like this without sounding repetitive — but Messi is simply redefining what’s possible week after week.
Substitutes & Manager
Benjamin Cremaschi (7/10): Lively off the bench and set up Suárez with the pass that led to Messi’s second.
Yannick Bright (N/A): Introduced late to lock things down.
Tomás Avilés (N/A): Came on with 15 minutes left to reinforce the backline.
Fafa Picault & Santiago Morales (N/A): Brief cameos. Not enough time to impact the match.
Javier Mascherano (9/10): His tactical setup was spot-on, and Miami were ruthless in attack. That said, Mascherano’s reluctance to rest Messi — despite calling for it earlier — will raise eyebrows, especially with the All-Star Game approaching.
Final Thoughts:
Inter Miami are peaking again, and Messi is clearly driving the charge. With the All-Star Game midweek and a return fixture against FC Cincinnati next weekend, the Herons must manage their squad wisely. But when Messi is in this kind of form, it’s hard to even think about resting him.
Mascherano’s comparison to Michael Jordan and Rafael Nadal may seem lofty to some — but nights like these make it hard to argue otherwise. This isn’t just great MLS form. This is a global icon playing on another level. Again.
