Lionel Messi scored a stunning 11-minute hat trick to help Inter Miami break the Major League Soccer record for most points in a single season, after beating the New England Revolution 6-2 on Saturday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Miami concluded the MLS regular season with 74 points in 34 games and a 22-4-8 record (WLD), narrowly surpassing the Revolution’s mark of 73 points in 2021.
Luis Suárez propelled Inter Miami to come from two goals down after 34 minutes, scoring twice in less than four minutes to keep the points race alive.
But it was captain Messi who rightly cemented Inter Miami’s name in league history. Just a minute after coming on, he helped Benjamin Cremaschi give Miami the lead for the first time in the 58th minute.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner then took center stage himself, in the 78th minute, to score his first hat trick for Miami and thus become the club’s all-time top scorer with 33 goals.
Miami also became the first team in MLS history to have multiple players score at least 20 goals in a season.
With 20 goals each, Messi and Suárez are expected to finish second in the race for the Golden Boot, behind DC United’s Christian Benteke (23 goals). Messi, however, leads the league in total goal contribution with a total of 36 goals and assists in just 19 games.
“Our captain led us, the players led us in times when it was difficult,” said David Beckham, co-owner of Inter Miami. “But now, tonight, we celebrate. Tomorrow, we prepare for Friday and the playoffs.
“As my partner and friend Jorge Mas said, it was always about creating Miami history. It was always about family, the familyour people in this stadium. Tonight it’s about you guys because you’ve supported us through the tough times and you support us through the good times.
Messi only returned to action last month after suffering an ankle ligament injury during the Copa América final on July 14. But he has now scored hat-tricks in back-to-back matches following his hat-trick in Argentina’s World Cup qualifying win over Bolivia. Tuesday.
“After the serious injury he suffered in the Copa América, we had to be very careful in his recovery and his insertion into the team,” Miami head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino told reporters. journalists. “And it seems to me that the Argentine team and we here were very careful on this issue and we ended up feeding off each other.
“I think the match against Columbus was very important, especially in the second half, Leo being very involved in what happened in that match. And obviously we also learned from this last match against Bolivia where he already seemed a lot looser, a lot more in rhythm And obviously today, well, I think the first ball he touches is the pass to Jordi Alba (for Miami’s third goal), so today. the feeling that we have it in an ideal situation.
It was a night of celebration for Miami. The team was awarded the 2024 Supporters’ Shield after the final whistle, having won the award for best regular season record in MLS for the first time earlier this month. The trophy was Miami’s first piece of MLS silverware since debuting as an expansion club in 2020.
Inter Miami had already won the first MLS Leagues Cup trophy against Liga MX shortly after Messi’s arrival in the summer of 2023.
After Saturday’s victory, FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that Miami would participate in the 2025 Club World Cup and host the opening match of the expanded 32-team tournament at Hard Rock Stadium.
More immediately, Inter Miami will now have home-field advantage thanks to the MLS playoffs. The team will begin the playoffs Friday against the winner of Tuesday’s Eastern Conference wild-card matchup between CF Montreal and Atlanta United.
“Let’s get ready for the playoffs,” Beckham said.