Inter Miami has had roaring stadiums buzzing, enticing football and a team learning to win with both swagger and grit. From the season’s kickoff, the Herons have played like a headliner act, with Lionel Messi as superstar finisher and all-around magician. His 400th career assist feels like the perfect emblem for this version of Miami: Messi always bringing his teammates into the game and turning tight games into highlight reels. If you needed a snapshot of where they are right now, their most recent outing, a 4-0 knockout win over Nashville in Fort Lauderdale, showed the edge they’ve found: a ruthless press, quick transitions, and Messi orchestrating with that record-setting creator’s touch. It’s a style of football that has ended the regular season for Inter Miami with an opportunity to win it all this season.
Table of Contents
Shape Of The Season
Inter Miami’s season has taken on a clear, numbers-backed shape: a front-foot regular season powered by Lionel Messi’s league-leading 29 goals (2025 MLS Golden Boot), a string of cup nights that hardened their edge, and a playoff gear that finally looks built for MLS knockouts. Messi hasn’t just scored; he’s been a key playmaker, hitting a landmark 400th career assist during the Round One decider, and his production has framed Miami’s identity as a team that creates to dominate. In the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Best-of-3 vs Nashville, Miami clinched their first-ever Conference semifinal berth with a 4-0 Game 3, where both Messi and Tadeo Allende scored; Messi was involved in all eight of Miami’s goals across the series (five goals, three assists), a snapshot of how he tilts matchups on his own.
Around him, his long-time former Barcelona teammates have been crucial as well: Luis Suárez dragged Miami through Leagues Cup quarterfinals with a late penalty double vs Tigres while Messi rested, and Sergio Busquets, set to retire at season’s end, has set the rhythm as a deep pivot alongside Jordi Alba, who also announced his retirement after the playoffs. Sprinkle in spring’s Champions Cup quarterfinal comeback over LAFC Messi brace (including an 84’ winner) and an assist, and the pattern is consistent: Miami leans on elite shot-making, calm tempo control, and ruthless transition to turn tight nights into comfortable ones.
Finishing the season in third position as they finished the season in hot form, winning 6 of their last 8 games. Miami’s statistical spine, 29 league goals from Messi, decisive cup wins, and milestone creativity, explains why their ceiling in November looks higher than at any point in their MLS life as they search for their first MLS Cup.
Playoffs
So Far:
Miami just won their first-ever playoff series, taking a best-of-three against Nashville 2-1 and slamming the door with a 4-0 home rout in Game 3. Lionel Messi ran the series, when it really mattered Messi showed why he’s considered to be one of the best to ever do it, turning the game on it’s head with 2 goals and 2 assists to bring home the win; in the decider he scored twice and set up two more, while Tadeo Allende added a second-half brace with Luis Suárez out suspended. Multiple outlets also reported that one of those helpers marked Messi’s 400th career assist, an emblematic milestone for a side that leans on his playmaking as much as his goals.
What’s next:
The Herons travel to face FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium in a one-game Eastern Conference semifinal, survive and advance territory against a No. 2 seed built on compact defending and set-piece threat. If Miami progresses, their route to MLS Cup likely runs through a heavyweight from the other half of the bracket (Philadelphia or NYCFC), with matchups finalised as the bracket closes. Layer on the emotional charge of this being the final MLS postseason for Sergio Busquets, and Miami enter the semifinal with star power, momentum, and a chance to keep rewriting club history.
Messi 400 assists – club and country
Lionel Messi’s 400 career assists across club and country truly encapsulate Messi as a player and how he has gone about his football throughout his whole career. A pass that split a defense and turned a good run into a guaranteed goal. He hit the mark with Inter Miami in their Round One decider vs. Nashville, and the breakdown tells the story of a two-decade playmaking masterclass: 269 assists with Barcelona, 60 for Argentina, 34 at PSG, and now 37 and counting in Miami. It’s a neat snapshot of how his game has aged, consistently involving his teammates, and always dangerous whenever he is on the ball.
At Inter Miami, the milestone feels less like a detour and more like the latest chapter in a style that still bends games to his vision. The assists come in different shapes now, cut-backs after quick one-twos with overlapping full-backs, disguised reverse passes in transition, and set-piece deliveries that invite a first-time finish, but the effect is the same: teammates arrive on the ball already a step ahead,. Beyond the final pass, his off-ball gravity opens lanes for runners, and his calm and vision in chaotic MLS moments, and hostile crowds have given Miami a blueprint for control. It’s veteran playmaking which looks effortless: cleaner touches, better decisions, and a habit of turning thin margins into goals.
Messi becomes just the second player all-time to reach the milestone of 400 assists. Joining Hungarian legend Ferenc Puskas, who finished his career with 404 career assists. Leaving Messi just 4 shy of taking over the record for most assists of all time. Messi also has 875 career goals just sitting behind Cristiano Ronaldo on 936 goals.
Zooming out, 400 isn’t just a big round number; it’s confirmation that Messi’s legacy is as much about making others better as it is about scoring himself. At Barcelona, those 269 assists fed eras Eto’o, Villa, Suárez, Neymar, while with Argentina the 60 have stretched from early Di María cutbacks to World Cup-era through balls. In Miami, the pattern continues: runners like Allende and overlaps from Alba cash in because Messi still sees the picture a beat earlier than everyone else. That’s the through-line from Camp Nou to Paris to Fort Lauderdale: a playmaker who turns teammates into finishers and tense games into tap-ins.
Career Assist Breakdown
| Barcelona | 269 assists | 778 appearances (2004-2021) |
| Argentina | 60 assists | 195 appearances (2004-present) |
| PSG | 34 assists | 75 appearances (2021-2023) |
| Inter Miami | 37 assists | 84 appearances (2023-present) |
Messi’s 365Scores Impact Rating
Messi’s 2025 dominance can be backed up by the numbers. His 365Scores Impact Rating (IR) averages 84.73, best in MLS, and he’s lapping the field: more than double Inter Miami’s next two (Suárez 37.96, Ustari 37.68) and well clear of league runners-up Carles Gil (54.59) and Jeppe Tverskov (52.10). Even on a per-minute basis, he leads with a season Avg. IR/min of 0.98, reflecting sustained influence rather than isolated spikes. His most impactful nights tell the same story: 164.49 vs Nashville SC (18.10.25), 138.52 vs Atlanta United (11.10.25), and 134.03 vs New York City FC (24.9.25). These ratings are all the top 3 performances in the MLS this season. The ratings clearly show he’s been Miami’s separator, owning the league’s top impact profile while delivering his most decisive performances when the lights are brightest.
Will Messi Bring Home The MLS Cup?
Inter Miami have turned a star-studded idea into a hardened contender: a side that presses with intent, breaks with speed, and lets Lionel Messi set the terms now with 400 career assists as the emblem of their blueprint. The next checkpoint is the Eastern Conference semifinal away to FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium, a win-or-go-home scenario, against the No. 2 seed. For Miami, the keys are clear: keep the press connected and let Messi dictate possession and create the same way he has done all season; if Luis Suárez features, his link play will matter in pinning centre-backs, and Sergio Busquets’ calm on the ball will be vital in hostile moments. Win in Cincinnati and the road to the club’s first MLS Cup opens up proof that this season’s roar wasn’t just for show, but the sound of a team built for the biggest nights.
