Lionel Messi once again demonstrated his brilliance, scoring a hat trick to lead Inter Miami to a commanding 6-2 victory over the New England Revolution in their final regular-season match on Sunday at Chase Stadium, Florida. The win secured Inter Miami the 2024 Major League Soccer (MLS) regular-season championship.
Inter Miami found themselves trailing early, conceding two goals by the 34th minute. However, Luis Suárez quickly brought the team back into contention with two goals in quick succession, scoring in the 40th and 43rd minutes to tie the game before halftime. In the second half, Benjamin Cremaschi gave Miami the lead with a goal in the 58th minute, setting the stage for Messi’s heroics.
Then, Messi’s explosive performance continued. In the 33rd minute of the second half, Messi struck from outside the penalty arc with a left-footed long-range shot, finding the back of the net. Three minutes later, he penetrated the box and slotted the ball between the goalkeeper’s legs to score his second goal. Finally, in the 44th minute of the second half, Messi completed his hat-trick by perfectly receiving a cross from Suárez on the right.
With this match, Messi finished the season with 20 goals and 16 assists in 19 league appearances, totaling 36 goal contributions. Messi’s dominant form follows his performance with the Argentina national team, where he recorded 3 goals and 2 assists in a match against Bolivia on October 16. This marks Messi’s second consecutive hat-trick in official matches.
Last season, Inter Miami struggled, finishing 14th out of 15 teams. However, with Messi’s arrival, the team achieved remarkable success. This season, they recorded 22 wins, 8 draws, and 4 losses, earning 74 points and becoming the top team in wins, points, and goals among the 29 teams in both the Eastern and Western Conferences. Messi’s contributions helped Inter Miami set a new record for the most points in MLS history, surpassing the previous record held by the New England Revolution.
As a result, Inter Miami has also secured a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup, which will be held in the U.S. in 2025. FIFA decided to grant the league champions a ticket to the Club World Cup, recognizing the consistent performance of teams over the 34 matches.
Most Commented