“Messi scores three and Suárez adds two as Inter Miami defeat New England 6-2, breaking the MLS regular season points record and securing a spot in the Club World Cup.”
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Lionel Messi and Inter Miami have achieved the most remarkable regular season in the history of Major League Soccer.
In a commanding performance, Messi scored three goals and provided an assist in the second half, while Luis Suárez netted two goals in the first half, leading Inter Miami to a decisive 6-2 victory over the New England Revolution on Saturday night. This triumph allowed the team to conclude the season with a record-setting 74 points, surpassing the previous record of 73 points held by the Revolution in 2021.
This match marked Messi’s inaugural hat trick for Inter Miami, a team he joined midway through the 2023 season, signifying a significant milestone for Major League Soccer.
With a league record of 22 wins, 4 losses, and 8 draws, Inter Miami finished the season with an impressive .765 winning percentage, setting yet another MLS record. Prior to this, four teams—DC United (24-8) and the LA Galaxy (24-8) in 1998, LAFC (21-4-9) in 2019, and New England (22-5-7) in 2021—had concluded an MLS season with a .750 winning percentage, which was the highest until this recent achievement.
Lionel Messi, in exceptional form, netted his second hat-trick of the week, while Luis Suarez contributed with two goals as Inter Miami triumphed over the New England Revolution with a score of 6-2. This victory not only shattered the Major League Soccer’s regular season points record but also secured their spot in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
With this win in their final regular season match, Miami accumulated a total of 74 points, surpassing the previous record of 73 points set by New England in 2021.
Messi, who entered the match as a substitute in the 58th minute, played a pivotal role in the late surge of goals, bringing his tally to 20 goals in 19 MLS appearances. Suarez, his former Barcelona teammate, also reached the 20-goal mark, having played 27 matches.
The pursuit of the record added an exciting dimension to the final game of the regular season, especially since Inter had already clinched the Supporters’ Shield for the best regular season record, positioning themselves as strong contenders for the upcoming MLS Cup playoffs.
Initially, Miami found themselves trailing 2-0 until Suarez scored twice before halftime, allowing Gerardo Martino’s squad to equalize by the break. Goals from Argentinian Luca Langoni and Colombian Dylan Borrero in the 34th minute had the home fans urging for Messi’s entry, but it was Suarez who initiated the comeback with a powerful left-footed shot.
Suarez then equalized with an impressive solo effort, creating space for himself and finishing with his right foot.
Messi, who had previously scored a hat-trick for Argentina against Bolivia on Tuesday, came on in the 58th minute and quickly made an impact by assisting Jordi Alba, who set up Benjamin Cremaschi for a simple tap-in.
New England believed they had equalized through striker Bobby Wood, but the goal was ruled out for handball after a VAR review. Messi subsequently extended the lead to 4-2, receiving a back-heeled pass from Suarez and skillfully firing into the far bottom corner.
The Argentinian player found the net once more as he capitalized on an excellent pass from Jordi Alba, demonstrating his precision by completing his hat-trick in the 89th minute with a well-executed first-time finish from a volleyed cross delivered by Suarez.
Messi’s three goals were scored within a span of 11 minutes, and following a two-month injury hiatus after the Copa America, he appears to have regained his peak form.
During the post-match celebration of the Supporters Shield victory, club co-owners David Beckham and Jorge Mas were accompanied by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who declared that the Shield had secured the team a spot in the 2025 Club World Cup.
Club World Cup gets Messi boost
Miami will occupy the qualification slot allocated for the host nation.
According to a statement from FIFA, “Inter Miami qualifies as the representative team of the host country due to the club’s remarkable and consistent performance over a 34-match season, during which they secured the shield with two MLS matches remaining.”
The official champions of Major League Soccer (MLS) are determined through the MLS Cup playoffs, which are set to commence next week and culminate in the final on December 7.
Miami is favored to triumph in the playoffs; however, FIFA’s decision to recognize the regular season winners guarantees the participation of the Argentine superstar.
The involvement of the eight-time Ballon d’Or recipient, Messi, significantly enhances the profile of the revamped tournament, which FIFA aims to promote to both the global television audience and fans in the United States in anticipation of the 2026 World Cup.
This competition may present Messi with the opportunity to face top European club rivals for the first time since his departure from Paris Saint-Germain last year to join Miami.
The 32-team tournament will include title-winning teams from each of FIFA’s continental confederations.
FIFPRO, the players’ union, along with the European Leagues organization, has lodged a joint complaint with the European Commission against FIFA regarding the introduction of this tournament into the international match calendar.
Critics of the new tournament argue that it exacerbates an already congested schedule and increases the burden on players.
