Sport
Every time Messi has scored 4 goals (or more!) for Barcelona, Miami and Argentina
Key Points
Lionel Messi grabbed the headlines on Saturday by scoring four goals for reigning MLS champions Inter Miami CF in their 7-1 win over CF Montréal. But, for a player who has scored more than 900 goals in a trophy-laden career for Argentina, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, the feat is nothing new. In fact, the eight-time winner of the Ballon d'Or has scored a "poker" no fewer than nine times to date.
Lionel Messi grabbed the headlines on Saturday by scoring four goals for reigning MLS champions Inter Miami CF in their 7-1 win over CF Montréal.
But, for a player who has scored more than 900 goals in a trophy-laden career for Argentina, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, the feat is nothing new.
In fact, the eight-time winner of the Ballon d'Or has scored a "poker" no fewer than nine times to date. And, on a couple of those occasions, he netted even more than four.
- Messi tracker: Goals, assists, moments for Miami, Argentina
Here are highlights of every single time that the GOAT has done the GOATiest of GOAT things.
1. Barcelona 4-1 Arsenal, Champions League (April 6, 2010)
😮 Most memorable FOUR-goal haul in #UCL history?
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 4, 2019
🔵🔴 Lionel Messi (Barcelona 4-1 Arsenal, 06/04/2010)#FlashbackFriday | @FCBarcelona pic.twitter.com/sJCeTpNJfn
On a big night for Messi (and a bad one for Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny), Messi hit the first four-goal haul of his career in a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg to move into the ranks of Barcelona's top 10 goal scorers of all-time.
2. Barcelona 5-1 Valencia, LaLiga (Feb. 19, 2012)
OTD in 2012, Messi scored 4 g⚽⚽⚽⚽als vs Valencia pic.twitter.com/LqN5vV09pO
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 19, 2023
Messi had to wait almost two full years for his next "poker," but when it came it was a fine way to mark his 200th appearance in LaLiga for Barça.
3. Barcelona 7-1 Bayer Leverkusen, Champions League (March 7, 2012)
🔵🔴 #OTD in 2012, Messi scores FIVE at Camp Nou 🤯
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 7, 2021
⏰⚽️2⃣5⃣ Messi
⏰⚽️4⃣2⃣ Messi
⏰⚽️4⃣9⃣ Messi
⏰⚽️5⃣8⃣ Messi
⏰⚽️8⃣4⃣ Messi@FCBarcelona | #UCL pic.twitter.com/poWMufNV7t
In 2012, Messi was in the best form of his career, and it only took him a couple more weeks to score four goals again. In fact, he was so hot, that he scored five in one match against poor old Leverkusen.
4. Barcelona 4-0 Espanyol, LaLiga (May 5, 2012) (Pep's final game)
Messi capped off an incredible 2011-12 season in the final game by netting his 50th league goal of the campaign. That landmark came as part of his latest four-goal haul, on Pep Guardiola's last match as Barcelona coach.
5. Barcelona 5-1 Osasuna, LaLiga (Jan. 27, 2013)
The following year, Messi scored his 200th LaLiga strike as part of a four-goal salvo. This match was the 11th game of a scoring streak that would eventually extend to 19 matches.
6. Barcelona 6-1 Eibar, LaLiga (Sept. 19, 2017)
GOAL: "Leo Messi holds himself up better than a pole dancer." - @RayHudson #BarcaEibar pic.twitter.com/YcU4p0YPGV
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) September 19, 2017
Messi knows how to time the delivery of his "poker" performances to hit personal milestones. His next one included his 300th goal scored at Camp Nou.
7. Barcelona 5-0 Eibar, LaLiga (Feb. 22, 2020)
👻🤼♂️ "Trying to tackle him is like wrestling with a ghost!" - @RayHudson
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) February 22, 2020
Messi dances to put @FCBarcelona in front of @SDEibarEN #BarcaEibar
📺 - beIN SPORTS
💻📱beIN SPORTS CONNECT: https://t.co/LRYa03w6yI pic.twitter.com/8OtN6wufML
Eibar were again the victims of a Messi scoring blitz in 2020, and this time they could only praise their tormentor. After the match, the club posted on social media: "We suffer you, we put up with you, we endure you. And we have no choice but to stand up and applaud you."
8. Argentina vs. Estonia, international friendly (June 5, 2022)
Why Argentina were playing Estonia in Spanish city of Pamplona, we can't really say. But we do know that he became the first male player to score four goals in a single Champions League game and a senior international match that night. Six months later, he led them to FIFA World Cup glory.
9. Inter Miami CF 7-1 CF Montréal, MLS (Aug. 29, 2026)
It took another four years but, at the age of 39, Messi is still capable of posting those big numbers.
"I'll say it again: I don't have any qualifiers for such soccer beauty," Miami interim coach Guillermo Hoyos said postmatch. "There are so many things combined that leave you at a loss for words, no?
"I don't think he's a normal soccer player."
We couldn't agree more.
Messi (PERSON)
Barcelona (LOCATION)
Miami (LOCATION)
Argentina (LOCATION)
Lionel Messi (PERSON)
MLS (ORG)
Inter Miami CF (ORG)
CF Montréal (LOCATION)
Paris Saint-Germain (LOCATION)
Inter Miami (LOCATION)
the Ballon d'Or (ORG)
GOATiest (ORG)
Barcelona 4-1 Arsenal, (ORG)
Champions League (ORG)
UCL (ORG)