Lionel Messi named MLS 'Player of the Month' award for April

Lionel Messi has been named the Major League Soccer (MLS) player of the month for April 2024.

Messi played only four games and 315 minutes in April, but he had a 10 goal contribution, consisting of six goals and four assists. He registered at least one goal and as many assist in each match and averaging a goal contribution every 31.5 minutes of action. He contributed directly to 10 of the team's 12 goals in April.

The 36-year-old player is in fine form, helping Inter Miami to be on the top of the Eastern MLS table for the first time in their history, a feat that has lasted over a week.

Lionel Messi became the first player in MLS history to score twice and assist in five consecutive games when Inter Miami defeated the New England Revolution 4-1 on April 27. Miami can extend their three-game winning streak and lead the Supporters' Shield standings when they return home to face the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, May 4 (7:30 p.m. ET).

Though only in Miami for a year, Lionel Messi is already making MLS history. The Argentine is demolishing everything in his path to start the season, and he shows no signs of slowing down. Even at the business end of his career, he’s making considerable contributions in both goal scoring and goal creation.

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Lionel Messi is expected to play a No. 9 role, as Inter Miami manager Tata Martino seeks to keep the superstar captain fit and firing productive

The World Cup champion and eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has scored 16 goals in his first seven games of the 2024 season, breaking the previous record set by Thierry Henry (13 in 2012) and Carlos Vela (13 in 2019).

Lionel Messi has already suffered a hamstring injury early in the month of January. With busy run of fixtures for club and country coming up for him this month, Tata Martino says he plans to experiment with the star in a No.9 role.

Prior to Saturday's home game against the New York Red Bulls, he said (via Goal):

“We've talked about [Messi playing as a No. 9] and I think recuperating Leo in those points of the pitch is a great point for us. He doesn't exhaust himself coming and going, not that he can't do it, he can move anywhere he wants on the pitch, but we shouldn't deprive ourselves from the moment of his participation in the final moments of the play.

"Beyond being the greatest player in the world, he's a great goal scorer. So, we need to try to find him in different phases of the game. If he participates in every part of our attack, we have more opportunities."