Inter Miami 6-2 New England Revolution: Messi hat-trick seals record-breaking points total
Inter Miami beat the New England Revolution 6-2 to cap off their regular season in style, and secure an MLS record in the process.
Lionel Messi scored an 11-minute hat-trick as Inter Miami beat the New England Revolution 6-2 to ensure an MLS regular-season points total of 74.
Miami will head into the playoffs on the back of three straight victories after rounding out their regular-season campaign in emphatic fashion on Saturday.
Messi came on from the bench to plunder his rapid-fire hat-trick between the 78th and 89th minutes at Chase Stadium, where Miami fell behind to Luca Langoni's second-minute effort.
Dylan Borrero put the Revolution, who set the previous record points tally of 73 in 2021, 2-0 up, but two goals in as many minutes from Luis Suarez dragged Miami level.
Miami took control after the break, Messi and Jordi Alba combining to tee up Benja Cremaschi to make it 3-2.
It was the Messi show from then on. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner drilled in from the edge of the area after interplay with Suarez, before coolly slotting home after latching onto Jordi Alba's throughball.
His third was an immaculate team goal, with Suarez volleying it across for Messi to tuck into a gaping net and ensure Miami celebrated a record-breaking season in style.
Data Debrief: First of a kind
It was Messi's first MLS hat-trick, and it took him to 20 goals in the competition in 2024. Suarez also finished the regular season with 20 strikes to his name.
That makes Miami the first team in MLS history to have two players score at least 20 goals each during a regular season.
Miami have won 22 games this season, drawing eight and losing just four. They will face either CF Montreal or Atlanta United in the first round of the playoffs.