Messi brace sinks Atlanta as Griezmann shines in MLS Matchday 31
Messi and Griezmann steal the show in goal-filled Matchday 31
Lionel Messi lit up MLS once again with two brilliant goals for Inter Miami against Atlanta United, but the performance of another former star of the European leagues arguably eclipsed the Argentine in Matchday 31. With only a few weeks of the regular season left, the race for the 2026 MLS regular season title and the playoff picture are tightening.
Messi's brace sets Miami up for the playoffs
Inter Miami officially secured their place in the MLS playoffs with a 2-0 win over New York City in midweek, with Messi and Luis Suárez assisting goals for Rodrigo De Paul and Germán Berterame. They followed it up with a 3-1 win at Atlanta United, where Messi bagged a brace, Berterame scored again, and Suárez added more assists to his season stats.
His goals on Saturday were world-class, as he dribbled past defenders and finished with aplomb. Messi is now 39 and recently retired from international football, yet his numbers continue to stand out. He currently tops the MLS charts for both goals and assists, five clear of the next most prolific goalscorer, Petar Musa, on 25 goals. He is level with Anders Dreyer, Son Heung-min and Cristian Espinoza on 12 assists in FotMob's count, while MLS's own definitions, which include some secondary assists, have Messi level with Son on 15.
Messi also has the highest average FotMob rating in MLS by some distance, at 8.32, and leads the league in goals per 90, expected goals, shots per 90, expected assists, and xG + xA per 90.
Griezmann steps up for Orlando City
Even in the same state of Florida, another player is making his mark. Antoine Griezmann scored twice in Orlando City's 4-1 win at home to DC United, and also assisted Martín Ojeda's outstanding strike. The victory puts Orlando more comfortably into a playoff spot, with a useful pair of wins and a draw from their last three games.
Griezmann has 11 goals in his last nine games for Orlando, having joined the club in the summer. His signing looks set to be one of the more successful acquisitions of an aging European star by an MLS side, and he edges Messi as the player of the round per FotMob's ratings.
St. Louis streak ends ahead of US Open Cup final
St. Louis City had embarked on one of the most impressive runs MLS has seen, climbing to the top of the Western Conference, just behind Vancouver Whitecaps. Their 0-0 draw with the Whitecaps on Wednesday set an unbeaten record for an MLS team in all competitions at 21 games, ahead of the previous record of 20 set by Red Bull New York. That run ended this weekend as they lost 3-2 to Minnesota United.
The defeat comes ahead of the US Open Cup final against Columbus Crew on Wednesday night. St. Louis remain favourites to lift the domestic trophy, but they would have liked to go into the final on the back of another win. Columbus will be motivated to turn a disappointing league season into a memorable cup run, and to win their second Open Cup title, having won it once before in 2002. The Crew also lifted the MLS Cup in 2023 and the Leagues Cup in 2024, and are in good form, with four wins in their last five league games.
St. Louis have a rich history in the competition, with teams from the area having won the cup ten times in the pre-MLS era, a total only New York has surpassed among cities.
San Jose hold Nashville up in the Supporters' Shield race
San Jose Earthquakes' 1-1 draw at home to Nashville secured their place in the playoffs but prevented Nashville from confirming top spot in the overall MLS table. Nashville will get another chance when they travel to Montréal this coming Saturday for an early kick-off. They are expected to beat the Canadian side, who sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, and lift the Supporters' Shield.
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