Lionel Messi goals help Inter Miami start Leagues Cup in rout - ESPN

Lionel Messi made his first start for Inter Miami CF since returning from the FIFA World Cup and picked up right where he left off, scoring a stellar pair of goals to guide his team to a come-from-behind 4-2 rout of Atlético de San Luis in its first game of the 2026 Leagues Cup.

The visitors got on the board early at Nu Stadium in Miami on Wednesday when David Rodriguez's glancing header beat Rocco Ríos Novo in the 4th minute after some nice buildup play by San Luis, but the lead didn't last long.

Miami hit right back with an exquisite volley from Messi, who redirected Noah Allen's cross from the left flank while running at full speed in his second game back for the club since taking a break after Argentina's run to the final of the FIFA World Cup.

In Messi's absence, Luis Suárez helped steady the ship for Miami in the return to MLS play after the World Cup, but the Uruguayan was unavailable against San Luis as he began serving the first game of a six-match ban for spitting on a Seattle Sounders FC staffer after his team's loss in the 2025 Leagues Cup final.

The six-game ban means Suárez, who has seven goals in the past four matches, will not play in this year's tournament.

Allen set up his second goal of the night midway through the first half after he latched on to a lovely through ball to run in behind the San Luis defense and play the ball back to Telasco Segovia to power a shot into the back of the net. Messi also picked up an assist on Miami's second goal to go along with his brace.

Miami's third goal of the opening half — and Messi's second on the night — came on the back of some intricate buildup play with Allen once again setting up his team captain, this time in the center of the area where he tiptoed through