Lionel Messi was not in the starting lineup for his first Major League Soccer game with Inter Miami and didn’t join his teammates for warmups before a match at the New York Red Bulls.

Lionel Messi had two assists and converted in a shootout to lead Inter Miami over MLS-leading Cincinnati 5-4 on penalty kicks after a 3-3 draw and into a U.S. Open Cup final against Houston.

Lionel Messi keeps scoring goals, and Inter Miami keeps winning games.

Lionel Messi’s goalscoring streak lives on, as does Inter Miami’s winning streak.

Lionel Messi scored on another mesmerizing free kick in his third consecutive two-goal game for Inter Miami.

Jones, one of the league's original players who spent his entire 11-year career with the Galaxy, was named one of the MLS 25 Greatest on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020. When MLS contracted by two teams in 2002, Jones and his fellow players wondered if the fledgling domestic league was in trouble. MLS is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, commemorating it Wednesday with the release of the MLS 25 Greatest. “In the early days, (teams had) like 11 quality players and then all of a sudden there was a significant drop off. I think now you see that there’s 11 quality players and then you go beyond and there’s other quality players as well," he said.