Lionel Messi, who has been a superb player for Inter Miami all season, saw his team suffer a poor defeat in the MLS playoff match against Atlanta United.
Inter Miami lost the first leg 2-1, which means they will have to get a victory in the 2nd leg of the tie to advance to the next stages in the MLS Cup Eastern Conference playoffs.

Lionel Messi has so far been excellent for Inter Miami, who finished on top of the Eastern Conference table this season. The Argentine has so far scored 20 goals in just 21 matches for Miami this season, having missed many matches due to an injury after Argentina's Copa America triumph.
Although Messi has been excellent for Miami so far, the Argentina legend is not on top of the goal-scoring chart in the league. Messi is currently placed 4th in goalscorers chart. Messi is not the top scorer for Miami either as former Barcelona striker Luis Suarez sits top with 21 goals.
Currently, DC United striker Christian Benteke has scored 23 goals in the MLS 2024. Los Angeles FC strike Denis Bouanga has scored 21 goals so far. As Benteke's club is not in the playoffs, Messi will have to score four more goals to get to the top of the chart. The 37-year-old netted a hat-trick against New England in a match in October.