Lionel Messi literally went out with a bang in the Major League Soccer regular season as he scored a breathtaking hat-trick in Inter Miami’s 5-2 triumph over Nashville FC to clinch the Golden Boot with 29 goals in 28 games.
Besides, the Argentine maestro assisted 19 times, which means he has set a new record with his phenomenal season, and this is the third time he would be the league’s best player.
Third-placed Inter Miami in the Eastern Conference, after the victory, will confront Nashville in the first round of the MLS Cup playoff for the immediate rematch. The playoffs will be back in action on October 24 at Chase Stadium.
The career of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is supported by the head coach Javier Mascherano, who was also impressed by Messi’s performance in the last game, and he predicts a second consecutive season of the MLS Most Valuable Player award for Messi.
Since the day Messi moved to Inter Miami in July 2023, he has scored 71 times and assisted 36 times in 82 games for a total of 107 goal involvements, which is simply unbelievable. His recent achievement places him as the only player in the history of the MLS apart from one who has been the league top scorer and assist-provider in a single season simultaneously.
Everyone is thinking about the playoff match this Friday now, as Messi is the one to bring Miami the MLS Cup trophy for the first time.
