“Coming for the 9th Ballon d’Or” - Football world star-struck as Lionel Messi bags 5 assists in Inter Miami vs New York Red Bull clash

The football world was left star-struck as Lionel Messi bagged five assists in Inter Miami's latest MLS matchup against New York Red Bulls (May 4).

The Herons were trailing 1-0 at half-time before the Argentine maestro took matters into his own hands. He played a ball towards new signing Matias Rojas at the edge of the box and the attacking midfielder promptly unleashed a stinging drive for the equalizer (48').

Just two minutes later (50'), Messi got the ball from Suarez and swept a first time shot into the back of the net. From then on, it was pure playmaking brilliance from the Argentine legend.

Messi showcased his entire bag of passing tricks, playing inviting crosses, sharp one-twos and beautiful through-balls.

He played a sublime ball through four defenders into the box for Rojas to score his second of the game (62'). The Messi-Suarez combination then struck three times in a row, with the Uruguayan completing a 13-minute hat-trick (68', 75', 81').

Fans were left stunned after Messi's dazzling display, taking to social media to express their admiration.

"We will never see anything like Lionel Messi ever again. Enjoy it maximally as long as it's possible," a fan said.

"This little fella is really coming for the 9th Ballon d'Or, isn't he?" another chimed in.

"This isn’t normal at his age. Messi is a madman," one fan said.

"You have to be there, at least until this little genius touches the ball one last time," another added.

"6 G/A in 45 mins unbelievable from Messi," a fan said.

"Still has 2 more Ballon d'Or years in Europe in him," another opined.

"The king of the game," a fan exclaimed.

"We'll never see a player like Lionel Messi ever again," another declared.

Lionel Messi shatters 2 MLS records in Inter Miami's 6-2 win over New York Red Bulls

Lionel Messi shattered two more MLS records in his already unbelievable 2024 campaign as his Inter Miami side ran out 6-2 winners over New York Red Bulls.

The Argentine maestro became the first player in history to get five assists in a single MLS game. He also scored in the 50th minute, becoming the first player to have six goal contributions in a single match.

Messi now sits on 10 goals and 12 assists in just eight games in the 2024 MLS season. His performances have powered the Herons to the top of the Eastern Conference standings, with 24 points in 12 games (seven wins, three draws, two losses).

Under his leadership, legendary coach Tata Martino's guidance, and top-class teammates like Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets, Inter Miami look like MLS title contenders.

It will be interesting to see if the Argentine can keep this unbelievable streak going, and where his goal contribution tally sits at the end of the season. For the record, Carlos Vela has scored the most goals in an MLS season (34) while Carlos Valderrama has the most assists (26).