Football Bet of the Day: Back Messi to make a fast start in price boost

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is just around the corner, so what better way to warm up for the tournament than heading Stateside to check on how the little magician, Lionel Messi, is getting on at Inter Miami? Well, four goals in his last three games should give you a good indication.

On Sunday (23:00 BST, Apple TV), his side take to Nu Stadium to face Major League Soccer rivals Portland Timbers, who haven't played the Herons since the Argentine's 2023 arrival from PSG. Messi is the star of the show in my my Football Bet of the Day for Sunday, 17 May, which you can check out below.

Messi finished second in the Golden Boot charts in 2025, scoring 20 goals, and went one better last year by netting 29 times to win the award.

Unsurprisingly, the 38-year-old is amongst the frontrunners this season, trailing only Chicago Fire's Hugo Cuypers (13) and FC Dallas' Petar Musa (12) ahead of Miami's match with Portland Timbers on Sunday evening.

Messi bagged a brace in a 5-3 victory at FC Cincinnati in midweek, making it four goals from his last three games following a strike apiece against Orland City and Toronto FC earlier this month.

Inter Miami vs Portland Timbers Odds

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner opened the scoring in the 24th minute of Thursday's win at TQL Stadium, which was the third time this season, and the second time in this year's MLS campaign, that he had struck the game's first goal.

Messi found the net in the seventh minute of his side's 1-1 draw with Nasville SC in the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup last-16 tie on 18 March, with Cristian Espinoza equalising in the 74th minute.

The Argentina skipper also opened the scoring in the 18th minute of a 3-2 win at Colorado Rapids on 18 April.

While Miami were triumphant in midweek, the same couldn't be said for the Timbers, who were held to a 2-2 draw at CF Montreal on Thursday.

Phil Neville's side went a goal down in the 11th minute of that stalemate, which was the eighth time this MLS season, in just 12 games, that they had conceded first.

The Timbers have played seven away matches, and in five of those, the hosts have drawn first blood.

Miami play just twice more before the season takes a break for the World Cup, and Messi will be desperate to keep his goalscoring run going so that he can carry confidence into the tournament.

At 15/8, I like his boosted price to score first on Sunday as Guillermo Hoyos' charges look to make a fast start again, striking first for the fourth consecutive contest.

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