Lionel Messi made a spectacular return to Major League Soccer on Saturday, scoring twice and adding an assist in Inter Miami's 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Union. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner’s performance was a decisive factor in the match, marking his comeback after more than two months on the sidelines due to an ankle injury.

Messi, who had not played since injuring his right ankle during Argentina’s Copa America final on July 14, made a remarkable impact in his first game back for Inter Miami since June 1. Despite missing eight MLS matches and World Cup qualifiers for his country, Messi seamlessly integrated into the starting lineup and delivered a stellar performance.

"To be honest, I'm a little tired," "The heat and humidity in Miami don't help much either, but I really wanted to come back. I had been off the field for a long time. Little by little, I was training with the group, feeling good, and that's why we decided I would start. I'm very happy—very happy."

Messi admitted after the match.

Miami coach Gerardo Martino expressed his satisfaction with Messi’s return, noting that the star player felt good after completing the full 90 minutes.

The match began with an early scare for Inter Miami when Mikael Uhre scored for Philadelphia just 58 seconds in. However, Messi quickly responded, scoring his first goal in the 26th minute after receiving a pass from Luis Suarez and beating defender Kai Wagner. He added another goal in the 30th minute, converting a pass from Jordi Alba to give Inter Miami a 2-1 lead.

Although Suarez's goal before halftime was overturned by VAR, he added a late goal in injury time with an assist from Messi, who also received his first yellow card in MLS for lingering on a corner kick.

Martino defended his decision to keep both Messi and Suarez on the field for the entire match, stating,

“Both played the whole game because they were fine to finish the game.”

Inter Miami's victory extended their lead at the top of the MLS standings to 62 points, 10 points clear of Eastern Conference rivals FC Cincinnati with six games remaining in the regular season. Messi’s two goals, bringing his total to 14 in just 13 games, put him back in contention for the MLS top scorer title. Suarez, with 17 goals, remains two behind the current leader, DC United's Christian Benteke.

Messi, now 37 and in his second MLS season, is the fastest player to achieve 15 goals and 15 assists in just 19 games. As he continues to lead Inter Miami, the team remains firmly in the race for the Supporters' Shield, highlighting their impressive season despite previous injury setbacks.