Lionel Messi becomes Inter Miami CF's top scorer for the season earns Leagues Cup Golden Boot award

After a relatively quiet first 25 minutes, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner stepped up to break the deadlock in favour of the Florida outfit.

The ball would fall to a marker-free Messi outside the box, and after skipping past a defender the number ten sent a curling shot into the top corner to make it 1-0. Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

His strike against the Philadelphia Union in the semi-finals had seen Messi draw level with Josef Martínez’s tally of nine across all competitions.

Trailing the attacking pair is the in-form Robert Taylor, who has found the net six times, while Leonardo Campana follows on four goals for the campaign.

Lionel Messi's Inter Miami CF Journey so far

Messi’s ten goals in seven matches was the top scoring performance of the tournament. Minnesota United’s Bongokuhle Hlongwane (7 goals in five matches) and Los Angeles Football Club’s Denis Bouanga (6 goals in three matches) came the closest to the Argentine superstar.

Messi opened his scoring ledger in his MLS and Leagues Cup 2023 debut against Cruz Azul, a stoppage time game-winning free kick that immediately went viral around the world.

He followed that up by scoring a brace in three consecutive matches, capping that run with a late free kick equalizer against FC Dallas to force penalties and keep Inter Miami CF’s title hopes alive.

He added a late goal to cap off a 4-0 thrashing of Charlotte FC and in his last match he scored the longest goal of his career in a 3-0 win over the Philadelphia Union in the semifinals.

Lionel Messi wins Leagues Cup best player award

Messi – who scored 10 goals in his first tournament action with Inter Miami – won the Leagues Cup top scorer and best player awards.

Inter Miami’s Drake Callendar – who blocked two kicks in the final minutes by reigning MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar, and Nashville goalkeeper Elliot Panicco’s final penalty kick to end it – won best goalkeeper of the tournament.

It wasn’t straightforward in the end, but Inter Miami CF managed to clinch their first-ever trophy at this Saturday’s Leagues Cup final.

Messi’s final contribution of the tournament would see him score the first penalty in the shoot-out - setting the tone for an 11-round epic that culminated in Drake Callender’s save from fellow goalkeeper Elliot Panicco.

And the celebration began.

Messi’s teammates hoisted him in the air as they celebrated on the pitch.

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