Lionel Messi made a triumphant return from injury, scoring twice and providing an assist to lead Inter Miami to a 3-1 victory over Philadelphia Union.

The Argentine World Cup winner had been sidelined since July after suffering an ankle injury during his nation’s Copa America triumph against Colombia. This absence saw him miss out on Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers and eight matches for Inter Miami, despite their strong position at the top of the MLS Eastern Conference.

In his first full 90-minute appearance in three months, the 37-year-old ex-Barcelona legend wasted no time making an impact. Though Philadelphia struck early with a goal from Mikael Uhre just 58 seconds into the game, Messi equalized in the 26th minute. After a precise pass from Luis Suarez, Messi expertly dribbled past a defender before firing the ball into the net.

Just four minutes later, Messi scored again, this time assisted by another former Barcelona teammate, Jordi Alba. Messi rounded off his stellar performance by setting up Suarez for Miami’s third goal during stoppage time, securing the win.

Following the game, Messi, who now boasts 14 goals in 13 matches this season, admitted he felt the effects of his return: “I’m a little tired, but I was eager to get back on the field after such a long time away.”