SoFla Guide Editors
Lionel Messi just did something no one in MLS history has done: according to Inter Miami’s official site, he became the first player to record at least 15 assists in three consecutive seasons. He did it during a 3-1 road win over Atlanta United that pushed the Herons up to No. 2 in ESPN’s MLS Power Rankings. Messi, Luis Suárez and Germán Berterame were all named to the MLS Team of the Matchday for their trouble.
What happened in Atlanta
Saturday’s win at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta was Inter Miami’s third straight victory of the 2026 regular season, the club said.
Messi was everywhere. According to Inter Miami’s official site, he scored in the 56th and 60th minutes and recorded an assist. The club added that his secondary assist on the first goal of the match brought him to 15 assists for the 2026 regular season, which set up the three-seasons-in-a-row milestone.
The man is also scoring at an absurd clip. The club said Messi has 25 goals in 27 appearances this regular season and leads the race for the 2026 MLS Golden Boot. The Atlanta performance earned him his 12th Team of the Matchday selection of the season, presented by Audi.
Suárez had a big night too. Inter Miami’s site said Suárez contributed two assists against Atlanta United, earning his own sixth Team of the Matchday nod of the 2026 regular season. Those two assists made him only the second player in club history to reach 100 goal contributions, according to the club.
Then there’s Berterame, who joined Inter Miami as a Designated Player in the 2026 winter transfer window. MLSsoccer.com reported that he scored and added assists against Atlanta, bringing his goal contribution tally to seven over his last three matches. That’s the kind of stretch that gets a new signing noticed fast.
The Power Rankings glow-up
The national outlets are paying attention.
ESPN’s MLS Power Rankings for Matchday 31, published October 19, moved Inter Miami up to No. 2. Nashville SC stayed at No. 1.
“Don’t look now, but the star-studded Herons have found their feet with a three-game win streak after the international break,” ESPN writer Megan Swanick wrote.
Sports Illustrated’s post-Matchday 31 rankings also kept Nashville SC on top, while flagging Inter Miami and the Vancouver Whitecaps as teams on the surge.
MLSsoccer.com went even further. Its “What We Learned” piece after the weekend ran under the headline “Miami mean business, Orlando bring fireworks,” and didn’t hedge much about the Herons.
“The stars seem to be hitting their stride, the results are coming thick and fast, and Inter Miami may just be the team to beat come Audi MLS Cup Playoffs time,” MLSsoccer.com staff wrote.
What it means for South Florida
If you’ve been half-watching from a Brickell happy hour, here’s the short version: the defending MLS Cup champions, who beat Vancouver Whitecaps FC to win MLS Cup 2025, look like they’re peaking at exactly the right time.
Inter Miami had already clinched a 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs berth during the midweek before the Atlanta trip, so the postseason ticket is punched. The question now is seeding, and how much pressure they can put on the team above them.
Heading into Matchday 31, as of October 14, Inter Miami sat second in the Eastern Conference with a 15-5-10 record and 55 points. Nashville SC led the East with 67 points at that point. So yes, the Herons are climbing, but Nashville has been the team to chase all season, holding the top spot in ESPN’s rankings throughout the final stretch.
What’s next
Decision Day for the 2026 MLS regular season is scheduled for November 7, which is when the final standings get locked in.
Between now and then, the formula for Inter Miami looks pretty simple: keep Messi, Suárez and Berterame clicking the way they did in Atlanta and keep stacking wins. Three straight is a nice start. How high they can climb in the table is the fun part to watch over the next few weeks.
For now, South Florida gets to enjoy a rare combination: a historic Messi milestone, a Suárez club landmark, a red-hot new Designated Player, and national writers calling Inter Miami a possible team to beat. Not a bad weekend for the pink shirts.
