Lionel Messi scored twice as Inter Miami CF defeated D.C. United 4-0 on October 10, 2026, in his first match since ending his 21-year international career with Argentina four days earlier. Luis Suárez also scored twice at Nu Stadium in Miami, and Messi's brace took his MLS season total to 23 goals, the league's best.
Lionel Messi scored twice for Inter Miami CF in a 4-0 win over D.C. United on October 10, 2026, playing his first match since retiring from international football with the Argentina national team four days earlier, according to ESPN and official club match facts.
The match at Nu Stadium
Luis Suárez opened the scoring in the early minutes of the game at Nu Stadium in Miami and added a second before halftime, according to D.C. United's official post-match report. Minute markers differ slightly between sources: D.C. United's site lists Suárez's goals in the 2nd and 39th minutes, while Vietnamese outlet baonghean.vn reported them in the 3rd and 39th minutes.
Messi then scored twice in the second half. His first goal came in the 47th minute from close range off an assist from Suárez, and his second, in the 60th minute, followed a pass from Rodrigo De Paul, according to both D.C. United's match facts and baonghean.vn. ESPN described the second goal as a solo effort in which Messi dribbled past defenders before curling the ball into the bottom corner.
Reported match statistics: Inter Miami vs D.C. United
Statistic
D.C. United (official)
baonghean.vn
Possession
59.8% – 40.2%
62% – 38%
Shots
16 – 14
17 – 15
Shots on target
9 – 2
9 – 2
D.C. United's own report noted the visitors matched Inter Miami on shots and shots on target through the first 38 minutes before falling behind. Goalkeeper Sean Johnson made five saves for D.C. United, according to the club's site.
Messi's MLS season
The brace brought Messi's 2026 MLS season total to 23 goals, putting him atop the league's scoring charts, per ESPN. Before the D.C. United match, league tracker mlssoccer.com had listed Messi with 21 goals and 13 assists in 2,090 minutes, leading the Golden Boot race presented by Audi ahead of Petar Musa's 18 goals and 5 assists. ESPN also reported that Messi has now recorded a goal or an assist in 10 consecutive MLS games. The win strengthened Inter Miami's position in the Eastern Conference playoff race, though ESPN and baonghean.vn gave different placements — second and third respectively — reflecting the standings at the time each report was filed.
Why Messi's international career ended
Messi announced his retirement from the Argentina national team in August 2026, according to ESPN and Al Jazeera; neither report specifies the exact day. He played his farewell match against Benin on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires in front of roughly 85,000 spectators, according to Al Jazeera. He scored once in that game, taking his career tally to 126 goals; Al Jazeera reported that Messi entered the Benin match with 125 goals and 68 assists in 207 appearances, the Argentine records for both goals and caps.
I gave it my all. I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are great young players coming up who deserve their chance.
— Lionel Messi, announcing his Argentina retirement in August 2026 (via Al Jazeera)
Al Jazeera also reported that Messi said the recent death of his father, Jorge, could lead him to retire from professional football altogether sooner than the end of his Inter Miami contract, which runs through 2028.
Reaction from Inter Miami
Inter Miami manager Cristian González commented on Messi's return to club duty after the international farewell. According to ESPN, González said Messi would be missed in Argentina's jersey, but that the club was focused on enjoying having him available for Inter Miami now.
Questions
How many goals did Messi score against D.C. United?
Messi scored twice, in the 47th and 60th minutes, as Inter Miami won 4-0, according to D.C. United's official match facts and ESPN.
Why is this Messi's first game since retiring from Argentina?
Messi played his farewell match for Argentina against Benin on October 6, 2026, four days before the D.C. United game, ending a 21-year international career, per Al Jazeera.
What is Messi's Argentina career goal and appearance record?
According to Al Jazeera, Messi entered his farewell match with 125 goals and 68 assists in 207 appearances for Argentina, both national records, and scored once more against Benin.
How many MLS goals has Messi scored this season?
ESPN reported that Messi's brace against D.C. United brought his 2026 MLS season total to 23 goals, the league's highest.
Is Messi retiring from club football too?
Not yet. His Inter Miami contract runs through 2028, though Al Jazeera reported he has suggested his father's death could prompt him to retire from professional football sooner.
How the world is telling it
VietnameseVietnamese outlet baonghean.vn covered the match as a live-blog style report, describing Inter Miami's win as 'widening the gap' to 4-0 and reporting that D.C. United remained in 11th place in the standings after the loss, while listing slightly different possession and shot statistics than the English-language sources.
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