'MLS is his playground' - Lionel Messi 'making every opponent look amateur' in an Inter Miami shirt as ex-USMNT star heaps praise on 'unstoppable' Argentine

Messi has made a superb start to his first full season in Major League Soccer, scoring nine times in just seven games and helping fire The Herons to the top of the Eastern Conference. The Argentine helped secure a first Leagues Cup triumph after arriving from PSG but will be aiming for more silverware in 2024 with Tata Martino's side.

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Messi's displays at the start of the 2024 MLS season have drawn regular praise from commentators and opponents alike. Former USMNT star Herculez Gomez has joined the list of admirers by explaining just how impressed he has been to see the 36-year-old more than live up to the hype after arriving in the United States.

He told ESPN: "He's the best player I've ever seen play Major League Soccer. I don't think it's a secret, I don't think it's debatable. You look at this guy's numbers: he's got 11 goals, nine assists in his last 10 games in all competitions. Nine league goals in the last six games. He's played 24 games in Major League Soccer since he signed with Inter Miami. He's got 22 goals, 11 assists. I'm talking primary assists, not the hockey assists that MLS adds to pad the stats. This guys has been as good as advertised. He's been that player.

"This is his playground and he's making every single player, every single opponent look amateur. It's been that good and when he's not been good there's been a reason for it, it's been injury-related. But when he's healthy, when he's fit, when he's on the pitch, he's unstoppable."

Messi has recorded a goal contribution in his last 10 straight club matches in all competitions for the seventh time in his career and the first since September-December 2018, when he was still on the books at Barcelona.

Inter Miami return to action on Saturday with the NY Red Bulls the latest team charged with trying to stop Messi and Co. The Red Bulls ran out 4-0 winners when the teams met last in March, but Miami were without Messi for the game due to injury.