Lionel Messi reached 927 career goals on Saturday after scoring four times to inspire Inter Miami to a commanding 7-1 victory over CF Montréal in Major League Soccer.
The 39-year-old Argentina international delivered a spectacular individual performance as Inter Miami ended a five-match winless run.
Messi opened his account in the 40th minute, converting a free kick that took a deflection before finding the net.
He doubled Inter Miami’s advantage in the 52nd minute after receiving the ball from Luis Suárez and weaving past several Montréal defenders before finishing the move.
Messi later turned provider, setting up Suárez for Inter Miami’s fourth goal before completing his hat-trick in the 83rd minute with a delicate chip over the goalkeeper.
The Argentine completed his four-goal haul deep into stoppage time with another superb free kick.
His performance also took him to 18 MLS goals this season, putting him at the top of the league’s Golden Boot standings. He also registered an assist in the victory.
The victory was a record-breaking night for Inter Miami. The club scored seven goals in a single match for the first time, while the 6-goal winning margin represented its biggest victory in club history.
Messi’s four goals took his career tally to 927, counting his goals for Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami and Argentina.
At 39, Messi continues to chase the historic 1,000-career-goal milestone, with 73 more goals required based on the 927-goal tally reported after Saturday’s match.
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