MLS expert Matt Doyle has likened one Lionel Messi moment for Inter Miami to something the forward did at the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina.
The 36-year-old attacker is back to his best with the Herons after a tricky start to the season that saw Messi miss nearly a month of action due to a hamstring injury, yet the Inter Miami star has been nothing short of stellar since his return.
Leading both the goalscoring and assist charts in MLS, Messi has made it a habit now of breaking every record under the sun in the league, with the forward becoming the first player to bag five assists in a single game on Saturday against the New York Red Bulls.
And one moment from that game has now drawn comparisons to something Messi did at the 2022 World Cup.
Messi assist for Inter Miami compared to genius pass for Argentina at the World Cup
Speaking on MLS Extratime, Doyle compared Messi’s second assist to Matias Rojas to one the forward made at the Qatar World Cup against the Netherlands, a pass many regard as one of the best in recent history.
Indeed, the similarities between the two assists are scary, to say the least, yet it speaks volumes over how good Messi is creatively as an attacker, with no one able to pull off passes as well as the Argentine.
Doyle said: “It’s reminiscent of his through ball against the Netherlands in the World Cup a year and a half ago, which I already think is the best pass I’ve ever seen someone hit.
“It was reminiscent of that in terms how he peels off defenders, how he has this little pocket of space and then plays across his hips over two lines, it’s just, oh my god.”
Messi can play his best game given MLS’s quality
Messi at the Qatar World Cup was arguably the forward at his absolute best, with the then-PSG attacker giving everything to get Argentina across the finish line and secure their third world championship.
And at Inter Miami, we’re seeing Messi again at his absolute best given the level of quality MLS provides, with the Herons’ captain simply finding opponents too easy to take on and to embarrass.
Recent performances have seen Messi break numerous records and take Inter Miami to the top of the MLS standings, and the Herons will hope this run of form can continue this season.