Lionel Messi has found the net nine times in six games at this summer’s Leagues Cup 2023. He’s the tournament’s top scorer, and is now ninety minutes away from adding another piece of silverware to his trophy cabinet. Over the course of the last month, he has scored in every one of his games, including three consecutive brace. Here’s a deep dive into the Argentine maestro’s strikes.
In the Leagues Cup scoring charts, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is followed by Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Minnesota United FC’s South African forward. Denis Bouanga of Los Angeles FC found the net six times, while Germán Berterame (CF Monterrey) and Brandon Vázquez (FC Cincinnati) are just behind, on five goals.
With all of the aforementioned players having been knocked out, Messi is virtually assured of finishing as top scorer, although he’ll still be looking to add to his tally in Saturday’s final against **Nashville SC**.
All of Messi’s goals at Leagues Cup
The Inter Miami CF number ten has scored in all of his games since first stepping out onto the pitch at DRV PNK Stadium. In the tournament curtain-raiser against Cruz Azul, Messi came on in the second half and scored a last-minute free-kick winner.
He started in the second group stage game, a 4-0 win over Atlanta United FC, and only needed eight minutes to break the deadlock. The Argentine then doubled his team’s lead on 22 minutes, before being substituted ten minutes from time. Here’s a look at his brace:
The round of 32 saw the former Barcelona man play out his first full 90 minutes with Inter Miami CF, in a 3-1 win over Orlando City SC. He was once again on target twice in the same match, and his double was decisive in getting his team through to the next stage of the Leagues Cup knockout rounds:
In the last 16, the forward opened the scoring in the 6th minute and then scored the final goal of the game from a free-kick in the 85th. The latter strike would seal a dramatic comeback to make it 4-4 against FC Dallas, sending the game to a penalty shoot-out, which the Florida outfit would win 5-3.
In the 4-0 thrashing of Charlotte FC in the quarter-finals, Messi once again found himself on the scoresheet, this time putting away the last of his team’s goals in the 86th minute.
The World Cup winner then scored his ninth goal of the competition in the sixth match-up in the semi-final win over the Philadelphia Union. Messi would score the second in a 4-1 win.
Messi is the leading scorer at Leagues Cup 2023, and will be looking to play a leading role in the final against Nashville SC. If he scores a goal, he will have found the net in every game during the competition. Will his quality be enough for Inter Miami CF to prevail?
