Lionel Messi led Inter Miami to another away win, beating Toronto FC 4-2 in a match that turned into a crowd and operations rehearsal ahead of the World Cup, as BMO Field filled with the largest attendance in the Canadian club’s history.
Messi scored once and assisted twice, becoming the fastest player in MLS history to reach 100 regular-season goal contributions, confirming that his impact at Inter Miami still goes beyond results into marketing the league and boosting attendance.
Details
* Messi reached 100 MLS goal contributions in just 64 matches, breaking the previous record held by Sebastian Giovinco, who needed 95 matches.
* The Argentine star delivered one goal and two assists against Toronto in a night where he was the most influential player on the pitch.
* Rodrigo De Paul also contributed one goal and two assists, opening the scoring just before halftime.
* Luis Suárez and Sergio Reguilón scored Inter Miami’s other goals, while Emilio Aristizábal scored Toronto’s two late goals.
* Inter Miami extended its away winning streak to six matches and remained top of the MLS road standings with 19 points from eight games.
* The match drew 44,828 fans, the largest crowd in Toronto FC history, after the stadium was temporarily expanded ahead of the World Cup.
* Many fans wore Inter Miami’s pink and black colors and Argentina shirts, giving Toronto an early taste of the World Cup atmosphere.
* The match was Toronto FC’s final home appearance before BMO Field is renamed Toronto Stadium during the tournament.
* The stadium will host six World Cup matches, including five group-stage games and one Round of 32 fixture.
* Toronto’s World Cup schedule begins on June 12 with Canada’s opener, the first men’s World Cup match ever played on Canadian soil.
* The match served as a practical test for city services, from transit to security and crowd management, before World Cup crowds arrive.
What’s Next?
Messi continues to turn every MLS stop into a crowd and digital event, while Inter Miami benefits from his presence on and off the pitch as it pushes for the top of the competition.
Toronto, meanwhile, left the night with a sporting defeat but a real-world test before the World Cup: a packed stadium, heavy crowd pressure and an operational rehearsal that will shape the city’s readiness to welcome the world in June.
