TORONTO: Lionel Messi scored one goal and set up two more as Inter Miami got back to winning ways with a 4-2 defeat of Toronto FC in Major League Soccer on Saturday.&nbsp;Miami, beaten 4-3 at home by Orlando in last week&rsquo;s Florida derby, bounced back from that disappointment with an emphatic win on the road in Canada.&nbsp;Messi, who in just over a month&rsquo;s time is expected to lead Argentina&rsquo;s defense of their World Cup crown, delivered a typically dazzling performance in a victory that moves Inter back to within a point of Eastern Conference leaders Nashville.&nbsp;Messi&rsquo;s Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul fired Miami into the lead just before half-time, volleying in from the edge of the area on the rebound after his free kick struck the Toronto wall and fell invitingly into his path.&nbsp;Miami doubled their lead on 56 minutes, with Messi picking out former Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez with a first-time pass for the Uruguayan to calmly finish for 2-0.&nbsp;Messi was the creator again for Miami&rsquo;s third goal on 73 minutes, teeing up substitute Sergio Reguilon for his first career MLS goal.&nbsp;Fittingly Messi then added his name to the scoresheet two minutes later, releasing De Paul down the right to leave the Toronto defense scrambling into position.&nbsp;De Paul&rsquo;s low cross found Messi in the penalty area and the 38-year-old duly steered a side-footed finish into the bottom corner past Toronto goalkeeper Luka Gavran.&nbsp;Toronto flirted with an improbable comeback when Colombian substitute Emilio Aristizabal grabbed a brace with goals in the 82nd and 90th minutes, but Inter rode out 11 minutes of stoppage time to claim their sixth win of the season.

Football

Lionel Messi scored once and assisted twice as Inter Miami CF bounced back from last week’s defeat with a 4-2 away win over Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.

Messi on target as Miami swat Toronto

MIAMI: Lionel Messi won his second consecutive Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player award on Tuesday after propelling Inter Miami to the MLS title and leading the league in goals.&nbsp;Messi became the first player to win back-to-back MLS MVP awards and only the second player in the league to capture two MVP awards after Preki in 1997 and 2003.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m happy to receive this award and be the first in the history of this league to win it in two consecutive years,&quot; Messi said. &quot;I&#39;m very thankful.&quot;&nbsp;The 38-year-old forward, who led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup crown, scored 29 goals in the regular season -- the fourth-most in any MLS campaign -- and set up 19 others to claim the MLS Golden Boot.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m thankful for this recognition,&quot; Messi said. &quot;It&#39;s always nice to receive individual awards but I want to share it with my teammates. I was also fortunate to win the MLS Golden Boot thanks to the help of my teammates.&quot;&nbsp;Messi, who signed a three-year contract extension with Miami in October, also became only the second player to lead the league in regular-season goals and assists, joining Toronto&#39;s Sebastian Giovinco in 2015.&nbsp;Messi also netted six goals and created nine others in this year&#39;s MLS playoffs, which concluded last weekend with Inter Miami beating Vancouver 3-1 for its first MLS Cup title, Messi delivering two key assists in the triumph to claim MLS Cup MVP honors.&nbsp;It&#39;s the latest award in a trophy haul for the South American maestro that includes a record eight Ballon d&#39;Or titles, three FIFA Men&#39;s Best Player awards, and two FIFA World Cup Golden Balls.&nbsp;Messi was a runaway season MVP award winner with 70.43 per cent of total voting compared to 11.15 per cent for runner-up Anders Dreyer of San Diego FC. Messi took 83.05 per cent of media votes, 73.08 per cent of club votes, and 55.17 per cent of player votes.&nbsp;He became the first MLS player with 10 multi-goal games in a season, breaking the old mark of eight shared by Stern John in 1998, Mamadou Diallo in 2000, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2019.&nbsp;In 2024, Messi won the MLS MVP award with 20 goals and 16 assists over 19 matches.&nbsp;Messi joined Inter Miami in July 2023 and helped the Herons hoist the Leagues Cup, a tournament for MLS and Mexican League clubs, that year and take the 2024 MLS Supporters&#39; Shield with a league-best 74 points in the regular season.

Lionel Messi won his second consecutive MLS MVP award after leading Inter Miami to the MLS title, scoring 29 goals, providing 19 assists, and excelling in the playoffs, also earning the MLS Golden Boot.

Miami's Messi wins second consecutive MLS MVP award

FORT LAUDERDALE: Lionel Messi inspired Inter Miami to their first ever MLS Cup title on Saturday, playing a starring role in a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps in Florida.&nbsp;Argentina superstar Messi provided assists for two goals and helped create another to spark wild celebrations before a rapturous home crowd at the Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.&nbsp;&quot;This is the moment that I&#39;ve been waiting for, and that we as a team have been waiting for,&quot; Messi, named MLS Cup Most Valuable Player, said afterwards.&nbsp;Miami took the lead after an early Edier Ocampo own goal, but were left reeling by Ali Ahmed&#39;s second-half equalizer for Vancouver.&nbsp;But Messi then laid on an assist for Argentina international team-mate Rodrigo De Paul to put Miami 2-1 up before supplying the pass for Tadeo Allende&#39;s injury-time goal that sealed victory.&nbsp;Miami&#39;s first Major League Soccer crown provided glittering vindication for co-owner David Beckham, the former England and Manchester United star who had long dreamed of bringing success to Miami.&nbsp;&quot;There was a lot of sleepless nights, but I always believed,&quot; Beckham said afterwards. &quot;I always believed in bringing the team here, and when I found the right partners I knew anything was possible.&nbsp;&quot;We always promised our fans that we would bring success, and bring the best players, and today we&#39;ve achieved that.&quot;&nbsp;Vancouver, spearheaded by German legend Thomas Mueller, had looked the likelier victor after recovering from Ocampo&#39;s eighth-minute own goal to level through Ali Ahmed in the 60th minute.&nbsp;The Whitecaps almost took the lead moments after the equalizer, with Emmanuel Sabbi&#39;s shot crashing off both posts in the 62nd minute as Miami escaped.

Lionel Messi led Inter Miami to their first MLS Cup title with a 3-1 win over Vancouver, providing two assists. Rodrigo De Paul and Tadeo Allende scored, fulfilling co-owner David Beckham’s vision for the club.

Messi dazzles as Miami beat Vancouver to win MLS title

ISLAMABAD: Lionel Messi and Inter Miami reached the MLS Cup final for the first time on Saturday after a 5-1 thrashing of New York City FC in the Eastern Conference playoffs. A Tadeo Allende hat-trick and goals from Mateo Silvetti and Telasco Segovia ensured Miami advanced to Major League Soccer&#39;s championship game next Saturday. Miami will host the winner of the Western Conference final, which is being played between San Diego FC and Vancouver Whitecaps later on Saturday. &nbsp;

A Tadeo Allende hat-trick and goals from Mateo Silvetti and Telasco Segovia ensured Miami advanced to Major League Soccer's championship game next Saturday.

Inter Miami, Messi beat New York 5-1 to reach first MLS Cup

MIAMI:&nbsp;Lionel Messi scored two goals and assisted on two by Tadeo Allende to spark Inter Miami in a 4-0 rout of Nashville on Saturday to advance in the MLS Cup playoffs.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Argentine icon Messi opened the scoring in the 10th minute, added another goal in the 39th and set up compatriot Allende&#39;s goals in the 73rd and 76th that sealed Miami&#39;s triumph.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;I want to congratulate Leo for the game he played,&quot; Miami coach Javier Mascherano said. &quot;He was the first one who guided us in high pressure. To see him press like that at 38 years old is crazy. We all know about Leo with the ball, but what happened with Leo without the ball today was impressive.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Inter Miami won the best-of-three Eastern Conference first round series 2-1 to book a second round match against FC Cincinnati, who defeated Columbus 2-1 in another series-deciding encounter.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;The team played an almost perfect game,&quot; Mascherano said. &quot;There are always things to improve, but we were at a very high level in all lines, very intense from the first minute, very organized and very good in high pressure.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Eight-time Ballon d&#39;Or winner Messi ensured Miami would avoid a third first-round exit in four seasons after having fallen to Atlanta last year and New York City in 2022.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;It would have been very unfair to be eliminated at this stage,&quot; Mascherano said. &quot;What happened last year it had remained a bit in the atmosphere and you could feel that fear that it could happen again. And now there is nothing better than looking forward.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;In the night&#39;s other match, 10-man Minnesota United rallied to eliminate Seattle 7-6 on penalty kicks after playing to a 3-3 draw in a Western Conference thriller, booking a second round match against Sunday&#39;s winner between Portland and San Diego.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Miami striker Luis Suarez was absent, suspended one game by MLS for violent conduct in last week&#39;s loss at Nashville.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;MLS season goal-scoring leader Messi took a deflected ball, ran to the top of the box and fired a left-footed shot into the lower right corner.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Messi doubled the margin when he fired home a left-footed shot from just outside the box off a pass from Argentine teen rookie Mateo Silvetti.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Allende&#39;s first goal was from point blank range off passes from Messi and Jordi Alba. He then took a long pass from Messi and chipped a high ball into the net.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;At Cincinnati,&nbsp;Canadian Jacen Russell-Rowe gave Columbus a 1-0 lead in the 61st minute&nbsp;but Brazilian striker Brenner Souza answered in the 67th and 86th to send Cincinnati into a second-round home match against Miami.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s going to be a very tough conference semifinal,&quot; Mascherano said. &quot;We were below in the regular season but in the second leg we played here I was left with very good feelings.&quot; Minnesota moves on At Minnesota, the series was not decided until the 10th round of penalties when Seattle goalkeeper Andrew Thomas, injured making a save in the opening round after being inserted for the shootout, clanged the ball off the crossbar.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Seattle equalized at 3-3 on&nbsp;a goal by Jordan Morris in the 88th minute but when the penalty shootout arrived, the Sounders replaced keeper Stefan Frei for backup Thomas.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Minnesota&#39;s Joaquin Pereyra missed the first penalty kick wide right and Thomas hurt a hand diving for the ball but stayed in the match.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Morris hit the crossbar in the second round and in sudden-death rounds Thomas made two saves but Seattle missed both chances to win, Obed Vargas hitting the left post and Osaze De Rosario&#39;s shot being saved by Minnesota&#39;s Dayne St. Clair.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;MLS Goalkeeper of the Year St. Clair scored in the 10th round and Thomas missed to give the Loons the victory.

Argentine icon Messi opened the scoring in the 10th minute, added another goal in the 39th and set up compatriot Allende's goals in the 73rd and 76th that sealed Miami's triumph.

Messi leads Miami into MLS playoff matchup with Cincinnati

MIAMI: Lionel Messi wants to play for Argentina in next year&#39;s World Cup, but he says he will listen to his body before deciding whether he can make that dream come true.&nbsp;The 38-year-old striker for Inter Miami of MLS led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title and yearns to be on the field when the &quot;Albiceleste&quot; defend the crown next year in North America.&nbsp;Eight-time Ballon d&#39;Or winner Messi told NBC News in an interview broadcast on Monday that he will see next year how his body feels before deciding on whether or not he can play in the World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s something extraordinary to be able to be in a World Cup and I would love to,&quot; said Messi, who turns 39 next June.&nbsp;&quot;I would like to be there, to be well and be an important part of helping my national team, if I am there.&nbsp;&quot;And I&#39;m going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start preseason next year with Inter and see if I can really be 100%, if I can be useful to the group, to the national team, and then make a decision.&quot;&nbsp;Messi, who has been playing professionally since 2004, wants the chance for one more star turn on football&#39;s biggest stage.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m really eager because it&#39;s a World Cup. We&#39;re coming off winning the last World Cup and being able to defend it on the field again is spectacular because it&#39;s always a dream to play with the national team, especially in official competitions.&quot;&nbsp;Messi, who debuted with Barcelona in La Liga at age 17, joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 and moved to MLS in 2023.&nbsp;&quot;The truth is that I like everything about living here,&quot; Messi said of Miami.&nbsp;&quot;I spent a lot of time in Barcelona, which for me is an extraordinary city, where I grew up and had many spectacular moments, and which we miss a lot.&nbsp;&quot;But Miami is a city that allows us to live very well, that makes us enjoy life, that allows us to be calm, that allows the kids to be themselves and live day to day.&quot;&nbsp;Messi has 195 appearances for the Argentine national team, scoring 114 goals.

Lionel Messi, 38, says he hopes to play for Argentina in the 2026 World Cup but will decide after assessing his fitness next year. The Inter Miami star led Argentina to 2022 glory.

Lionel Messi keeps 2026 FIFA World Cup decision on hold

BARCELONA: Barcelona coach Hansi Flick and his players are not pleased at having to travel 4,500 miles to play a regular season La Liga match near Miami in December.&nbsp;Replying to a question at a press conference on Friday, Flick made his feelings clear.&nbsp;&ldquo;My players are not happy, I am not happy, but La Liga decided that we will play this game,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;The December 20 match will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, home of the NFL&rsquo;s Miami Dolphins.&nbsp;Barcelona president Joan Laporta has defended the Spanish league game by saying it represents the opportunity to further push into the American sports market.&nbsp;But for Flick and his players, it represents added travel before a short winter break. Barcelona will also travel to Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup starting January 7.&nbsp;Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has criticized playing the game in the US, saying players are already overloaded with travel and a packed playing calendar.&nbsp;Like Barcelona, Villarreal is also playing in the Champions League this season.&nbsp;La Liga president Javier Tebas has said that the league plans to make an international soccer match an annual event. The league has chartered planes to bring to Florida what it estimates will be 2,000 to 3,000 fans from Villarreal, which is the home team.&nbsp;Barcelona plays Girona in the Spanish league on Saturday.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick and his players voiced frustration over La Liga’s decision to stage a December 20 match in Miami, citing excessive travel before their winter break and upcoming Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.

Barcelona coach and his players are 'not happy' with Miami match

MIAMI: Lionel Messi made a public appearance in Miami on Friday, attending the finals of a 1v1 soccer tournament, but gave no update on his expected contract extension with Inter Miami. &nbsp;The Inter Miami star who is closing in on a contract extension that will keep him with his Major League Soccer club through at least the 2026 season and likely beyond showed up to watch the global finals of the 1v1 soccer tournament that he helped create and is sponsored by a hydration drink that he co-founded.&nbsp;His appearance came days after he and Inter Miami closed in on an extension, one that the sides have been working on for months and would assure him of being with the club when it plans to open its new stadium near Miami International Airport next year.&nbsp;There were no hints about the contract coming from his team on Friday and he did not address reporters.&nbsp;Messi only spoke behind the scenes to his team about the tournament, with his interview being sent out to members of the media afterward.&nbsp;&ldquo;It is really so nice to see and to share this opportunity providing a platform for the game that is 1v1,&rdquo; Messi said.&nbsp;When asked about the extension, Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano said he remains hopeful.&nbsp;&ldquo;I hope it happens soon, because I think it&rsquo;s great news not only for the club but for MLS in general, right?&rdquo; Mascherano said earlier Friday at the team&rsquo;s training base in Fort Lauderdale.&nbsp;&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s just for the team,&rdquo; Mascherano said. &ldquo;Obviously, for the team, for the club, for the history of this club, it&rsquo;s something unique.&nbsp;But I think for soccer in general in the United States, it would be very, very important news. They could have the best player who has ever played this sport here for a while longer.&rdquo;&nbsp;Messi captained Argentina to the World Cup title in 2022 and has been part of qualifying matches with the team but has not formally said that he will play in the tournament when it comes to the US, Canada and Mexico next year.&nbsp;The 38-year-old Messi has 20 goals second most in the league and 11 assists in MLS play this season.&nbsp;He joined Inter Miami in July 2023 on a 2 1/2-year contract, one that was worth an estimated $150 million at the time.Messi was MLS&rsquo; MVP last season, even in a year where he missed 15 of Inter Miami&rsquo;s 34 regular-season matches with injuries or national team commitments.&nbsp;He has helped the team win its first two trophies, the Leagues Cup in 2023 and the Supporters&rsquo; Shield for having the best record in MLS last season.&nbsp;Messi and Inter Miami will play DC United on Saturday.&nbsp;Miami opens the weekend sixth in the Eastern Conference, eight points behind first-place Philadelphia but with three matches in hand on the conference leaders and still in the race for one of the top playoff seeds as well as the Supporters&#39; Shield.

Lionel Messi attended a Miami tournament on Friday but gave no update on his contract extension with Inter Miami. Talks continue, with coach Javier Mascherano hopeful the deal will secure Messi through 2026 and beyond.

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