Messi Making Moves for More Records
After setting the MLS record for the most consecutive games with multiple goal contributions (five) last week, Lionel Messi will look to not only extend that streak, but make more history on top of that. Messi and Inter Miami CF will return home to host the New York Red Bulls on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV) and with another goal contribution, he would become just the third player in league history with a goal or assist in each of his first eight games of a season.
The other two players to accomplish this feat were MLS legends Cobi Jones (nine games in 1998) and Clint Dempsey (eight games in 2015). Messi (nine goals, seven assists) is also nearing the "double-double" mark of 10 goals and 10 assists, which is something no Miami player has accomplished since they arrived in MLS. With Miami and Messi in historic form, the club looks one of the early favorites for the Supporters’ Shield in 2024.
The most consecutive games with a goal contribution by a player to start a season in MLS history:
Benteke Back to His Scoring Ways
With D.C. United winless in their last three, the club turned to their star forward Christian Benteke to get them out of a rut. Benteke returned the favor, scoring both goals in the club’s 2-1 comeback victory over Seattle Sounders FC on Matchday 11. His brace brought him to eight goals on the season despite playing in just eight of the club’s 10 matches thus far.
If Benteke were to replicate his effort on Matchday 12 against the Philadelphia Union (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV), he would join Roy Lassiter (1999) and Jaime Moreno (1997) as the only players in club history to score 10 goals in the club’s first 11 games of a season. Including Lassiter and Moreno, only 11 players in MLS history have hit 10 goals during their club’s first 11 matches of a season.
The D.C. United players to score 10 goals in the fewest games from the start of a season:
Under The Radar Loon: Robin Lod Doing It All
Under first-year head coach Eric Ramsay, Minnesota United FC has impressed through Matchday 11 and currently sits tied for second in MLS in points per game at 1.89. The crucial man in the midfield has been Finland international Robin Lod, who has seven assists this season, which is tied with Real Salt Lake’s Chicho Arango and Inter Miami CF’s Lionel Messi for the most in the league.
Lod has been on a tear lately, either scoring or assisting on each of the last seven goals that the Loons have scored in MLS play. Only Arango (10 straight) and the New York Red Bulls’ Lewis Morgan (seven) have replicated that streak this season. Lod and the Loons can keep their hot start going on Matchday 12 as they travel to face Atlanta United on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
The most consecutive team goals with a goal contribution in 2024:
The Team that Never Sleeps: New York City FC Stays Open Late
Winners of three straight matches, New York City FC looks to be hitting their stride in the spring with the help of dynamic young South Americans and stellar goalkeeping from Matt Freese. Freese has been one of the best goalkeepers in MLS this season, allowing just one goal per game and adding 34 saves. In attack AgustĂn Ojeda and JulĂan Fernández have earned starting roles, and the young Argentines are quickly paying dividends.
During the winning streak, New York has utilized late goals to either earn a victory or solidify all three points. The club has scored in the 90th minute or later in each of the last three matches and they can become just the second team in league history to do so in at least four consecutive matches, joining D.C. United (Sept. 1-28, 2016). New York City will aim to keep up their late-game scoring when they host the Colorado Rapids on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
The most consecutive games with a goal in the 90’ or later in MLS history:
Brian White Still Shining Bright
The Vancouver Whitecaps have quickly turned into one of the most exciting attacking teams to watch and forward Brian White has been a key part of the action. With five goals and two assists on the season, White’s consistency has helped Vancouver climb to third in the Western Conference standings. White and Vancouver can continue to ascend up the standings when they host an in-form Austin FC on Saturday (10:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV) in front of what is expected to be a record crowd at BC Place.
White is currently on a club-record run of six-straight games with a goal or assist, which he set on Matchday 11 with the opening goal of the match against the New York Red Bulls. By adding to his goal contribution tally versus Los Verdes, White would become the first Whitecap to produce a goal contribution in seven-straight matches and join Lionel Messi as the only MLS players to hit that mark this season.
The longest goal contribution streaks in Vancouver Whitecaps FC history:
