Lionel Messi delivered a remarkable performance with an 11-minute hat trick, leading Inter Miami to a 6-2 victory over the New England Revolution at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This win helped the team to set a new Major League Soccer record for the most points in a single season.
Despite entering the match as a substitute in the 58th minute, Messi made an immediate impact by assisting Benjamin Cremaschi just moments after stepping onto the field. He then went on to score three consecutive goals, leading Inter Miami to a stunning comeback after they initially trailed 2-0 in the first half, ultimately finishing the match with a 6-2 victory over the New England Revolution. Luis Suarez also set the stadium alight, scoring 2 and assisting 2 on a perfect night for the Herons.
Miami wrapped up the MLS regular season with an impressive total of 74 points from 34 matches, finishing with a record of 22 wins, 4 losses, and 8 draws. This achievement allowed them to surpass the previous record of 73 points held by the New England Revolution.
Both Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez wrapped up their inaugural MLS seasons with impressive tallies of 20 goals each. In addition to his scoring, Messi also recorded 16 assists across 19 regular-season matches, while Suárez provided nine assists in 27 appearances.
Messi made his return to the field last month after recovering from an ankle ligament injury sustained during the Copa América final on July 14. Remarkably, he has now achieved hat tricks in consecutive matches, following his three-goal performance in Argentina’s World Cup qualifying victory over Bolivia on Tuesday.
“Our captain has led us, the players have led us in times where it was difficult,” Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham said. “But now, tonight, we celebrate. Tomorrow, we prepare for Friday and the playoffs.
“As my partner and friend Jorge Mas said, this was always about creating history for Miami. This was always about family, la familia, our people in this stadium. Tonight, it’s about you guys because you supported us through the tough times and you’re supporting us through the good times.”
INTER MIAMI HAVE DONE IT 🔥
A MESSI HAT-TRICK PROPELS THEM TO THE WIN AND THEY FINISH WITH THE MOST POINTS IN MLS REGULAR SEASON HISTORY 😱 pic.twitter.com/Cq1qP79qNb
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 20, 2024
It was a night of joy for Miami as the team celebrated their achievement of winning the 2024 Supporters’ Shield, awarded after they secured the best regular-season record in MLS for the first time earlier this month. This victory marked the franchise’s first MLS trophy since its inception as an expansion club in 2020. Additionally, Inter Miami had previously claimed the inaugural MLS vs. Liga MX Leagues Cup shortly after Lionel Messi’s arrival in the summer of 2023.
Recently, FIFA President Gianni Infantino also confirmed that Inter Miami will participate in the 2025 Club World Cup, also announcing that the team will host the tournament’s opening match at Hard Rock Stadium.
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
