Messi’s hat-trick came off the bench to help Inter Miami beat the New England Revolution 6-2, ending the MLS regular season with an unprecedented record. Inter Miami, already in first place, celebrated their achievement with a ceremony on the pitch, where it was announced that they will represent the United States in the new Club World Cup.
With this victory, Gerardo Martino’s team reached 74 points, surpassing the previous record of 73, won by the Revolution themselves in 2021. In the playoffs, Inter will face the winner of the play-off between Montreal and Atlanta United, eighth and ninth in the Eastern Conference. In the game, Uruguay’s Luis Suárez scored two quick goals, cancelling out early leads from Luca Langoni and Dylan Borrero.
Messi started on the bench after scoring a hat-trick in Argentina’s 6-0 thrashing of Bolivia in a 2026 World Cup qualifier. He came on in the second half and was soon involved in Cremaschi’s goal. In the 78th minute, Messi scored a stunning goal from outside the area and completed his hat-trick with assists from Jordi Alba and Suárez.
At 37, Messi ended the season with 20 goals and 16 assists in 19 games, making him one of the favourites for the MVP award. Gerardo Martino praised the team, emphasising that the 74 points were not an initial objective, but something they had fought to achieve throughout the season.