After essentially completing a clean sweep of the major honours that the game has to offer with Argentina's World Cup win in Qatar against France back in December 2022, the diminutive No.10 is now leading Inter Miami's charge in the Club World Cup.
A 0-0 draw vs Al Ahly to open the tournament was anything but a headline-grabbing performance from Messi and Co., but a stunning 2-1 comeback win over Porto has not only put the cat amongst the pigeons in Group A, but also given Inter a genuine chance of reaching the knockout rounds - surely beyond co-owner, David Beckham's wildest dreams when the draw was made.
Messi magic stunned the crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium
On a night when Botafogo also shocked PSG, Messi's magic from a dead ball situation won his side the game.
Before that stunning effort lit up the match and sent the majority of the crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium into ecstasy, Samu Aghehowa had given Porto the lead from the spot after a debatable VAR-awarded penalty.
The Portuguese side had also had six shots at goal including one from Alan Varela that had cannoned back off the woodwork.
For all of Miami's industry and intention to disrupt opponents that were playing a reasonably pleasing passing game, they couldn't find a way past Claudio Ramos, who ended up making three saves in the game.
Momentum shift just after half-time
The momentum shifted directly after half-time, however, when Marcelo Weigandt's pull back was lashed into the net by Telasco Segovia before Ramos had a chance to react.
Just seven minutes later, Messi offered up his piece de resistance, firing the ball up and over the wall and into the corner of the net where Ramos was standing. Another masterful effort to add to the vast show reel from the multiple Ballon d'Or winning Argentine's stellar career.
Almost exclusively for the remainder of the match, Porto did all of the running.
By the time the official blew for full time, they'd had 14 shots in total, 35 touches in the Inter penalty area, 22 dribbles and 19 crosses. The European side had thrown everything at opponents who wouldn't budge.
467 passes from Inter had just surpassed the 453 from Porto as the former tried their hardest to keep the latter at arm's length, whilst possession stats were almost level at the end of the game too, 49.9% for Messi's Miami side and 51.1% for Porto.
Fabio Vieira could hardly have done more for his side in response, his 100 touches, 29 passes in the final third (and 80 in total) was more than anyone else on the pitch, whilst Rodrigo Mora's winning back of possession on seven occasions (and nine touches in the box) indicated that Porto certainly weren't lying down and accepting defeat.
A defeat that will have hurt Martin Anselmi and his squad given that after Messi had stolen the show in the 53rd minute, Inter didn't have another shot of any description until the 96th when Fafa Picoult managed to get one on target.
Were Porto too lazy with their passing?
It's also worth paying attention to the fact that no Porto player in the starting XI dropped below 80% in terms of their pass completion stats, so distribution wise, it's hard to fault them.
11 chances created far exceeded what Inter were able to produce in that regard, so perhaps the one area where they needlessly handed the initiative to their opponents was in allowing Inter to intercept the ball on far too many occasions.
Sergio Busquets and Benjamin Cremaschi (both with four interceptions) led the way, and 15 interceptions in total suggest a little bit of laziness on the part of some of the Porto players.
Unforgivable at this level.
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No goals for Luis Suarez but El Pistolero still made his presence felt
Luis Suarez had a part to play as might be expected, even if it wasn't getting on the score sheet on this occasion.
Winning all three of his tackles attempted, El Pistolero also had four fouls given against him, the Uruguayan clearly using all of his experience at the top level of the game to make a nuisance of himself.
Indeed, 14 tackles won from 19 attempted (Porto attempted just seven) would also seem to point to Inter being much more up for the game than their opponents.
As is so often the case when one team are overwhelming favourites, complacency tends to creep in too, but as has been detailed above, aside from many of their passes being intercepted, there's not a lot else that the Portuguese can be reproached for.
Sometimes teams just have to admit they were beaten fair and square, however bitter a pill that is to swallow.
