Lionel Messi delivered a remarkable performance for Inter Miami, netting an impressive hat trick in just 11 minutes as a substitute during their match against the New England Revolution. The game, held at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, ended with Miami triumphing 6-2, enabling the team to set a new Major League Soccer record for the most points in a single season.
Concluding the MLS regular season with a total of 74 points from 34 matches, Inter Miami finished with a record of 22 wins, 4 losses, and 8 draws, surpassing the previous record of 73 points held by the Revolution from 2021.
Luis Suárez played a crucial role in the team’s comeback, scoring two goals within four minutes after they found themselves two goals down in the 34th minute. However, it was Messi who ultimately secured Miami’s spot in league history. He assisted Benjamin Cremaschi in putting Miami ahead in the 58th minute, just a minute after entering the game.
Messi then took the spotlight, scoring his first hat trick for Miami after coming on in the 78th minute, making him the club’s all-time leading scorer with 33 goals. With both Messi and Suárez finishing the season with 20 goals each, Miami achieved the milestone of having multiple players score 20 goals in a single season, a first for the league.
After the match, Miami celebrated winning the Supporters’ Shield, which recognized them as the top team in the regular season. Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham expressed gratitude to the fans for their support during tough times and highlighted the team’s commitment to creating history for the city.
Messi, who had recently returned to play after an ankle injury sustained during the Copa América final in July, now has back-to-back hat tricks, having previously scored three goals in Argentina’s World Cup qualifying win against Bolivia.
Inter Miami’s head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino praised the care taken in Messi’s recovery, acknowledging the positive impact on both the player and the team’s performance.
The season concluded with Miami being awarded the 2024 Supporters’ Shield, representing their first piece of MLS silverware since joining the league in 2020. After their victory, FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced that Inter Miami would participate in the 2025 Club World Cup and host the opening match at Hard Rock Stadium.
As they head into the postseason, Inter Miami will enjoy home-field advantage, starting their playoff campaign against the winner of the wild-card match between CF Montreal and Atlanta United on Friday.