Inter Miami CF head coach Javier Mascherano and captain Lionel Messi have been named to the Major League Soccer (MLS) Team of the Matchday presented by Audi for week 17 of the 2025 regular season. The duo earns TOTM honors after their influential roles in Inter Miami’s dominant 5-1 win at home over Columbus Crewon Saturday night.
Mascherano features in the Team of the Matchday for the first time after guiding the Herons to a valuable home win over the Crew. In his first season at the helm, El Jefe has led Inter Miami to a record of eight wins, three losses and five draws for a total 29 points as the team currently sits third in the Eastern Conference standings.
Messi, meanwhile, returns to the TOTM starting XI for what marks a third consecutive selection and overall sixth this regular season. Messi stole the show on the night, with two goals and three assists to be involved in each of Inter Miami’s goals against the Columbus.
With his brace and three assists to down the Crew, the Argentine maestro became just the second player in MLS history to notch at least five goal contributions in a game multiple times in his career, joining Diego Rossi (two such games each). Additionally, he reached 31 goals to surpass Gonzalo Higuaín (29) for the most MLS regular season goals in Club history. In all, Messi has now tallied a team-leading 10 goals, while also adding six assists in 13 2025 regular season appearances.
2025 Inter Miami Team of the Matchday Honorees:
- Matchday 1: Lionel Messi
- Matchday 2: Telasco Segovia and Luis Suárez
- Matchday 3: Allen, Bright and Allende
- Matchday 4: Lionel Messi
- Matchday 6: Lionel Messi
- Matchday 8; Óscar Ustari
- Matchday 9: Marcelo Weigandt and Benjamin Cremaschi
- Matchday 11: Marcelo Weigandt
- Matchday 13: Jordi Alba and Tadeo Allende
- Matchday 15: Lionel Messi
- Matchday 16: Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez
- Matchday 17: Javier Mascherano and Lionel Messi
