Lionel Messi Powers Inter Miami to Record-Breaking Season With Hat Trick

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami concluded one of the most impressive offensive seasons in MLS history. 

The 38-year-old netted three goals and contributed an assist in Inter Miami's last game of the season, defeating Nashville SC 5–2. These four contributions bring his season tally to 48 (29 goals, 19 assists), just one shy of Carlos Vela's 2019 record with LAFC for the most in MLS history. 

In 2025, Miami scored a total of 81 goals, making them the third team in MLS history to exceed the 80-goal threshold.

The 2025 Herons are recorded as the highest-scoring team in the club's history, surpassing the record set by the Supporters’ Shield team by two goals. Across the league, their 81 goals rank as the third highest by any team, following the LA Galaxy and LAFC in 1998 and 2019, respectively, who scored 85 goals.

Messi came into the game with 26 goals and 18 assists, making him a leading contender for the MLS Golden Boot. His performance probably secured the award ahead of his nearest rival, Denis Bouanga, even before Bouanga played his Decision Day match against the Colorado Rapids.

https://x.com/MLS/status/1979701706590920750?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1979701706590920750%7Ctwgr%5E677f36a7654bb5a3db6c9fa0a98a0e3320af4b71%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbolavip.com%2Fen%2Fsoccer%2Flionel-messi-wins-golden-boot-with-inter-miami-at-38-how-many-individual-awards-does-cristiano-ronaldo-have-at-40

The Argentine initiated the scoring in the 35th minute with a late run to the top of the box, followed by a long-range curling shot. He then converted a penalty in the 63rd minute and completed his hat trick in the 81st. Additionally, he assisted Telasco Segovia for Miami's fifth goal of the match during stoppage time.

With 29 goals, Messi becomes the first player since Vela in 2019 to exceed 23 goals in a season. This marks a notable increase in the top MLS goalscoring performance, following D.C. United’s Christian Benteke, who secured the scoring title with just 23 goals in 2024. 

With his assist, Messi surpassed San Diego FC’s Anders Dreyer to take the lead in that category with 19. However, Dreyer still has a Decision Day match remaining with the record-breaking expansion team, so his regular season isn't finished yet. 

With this victory, Miami secured their position as the third seed in the Eastern Conference and will face Nashville at least two more times in the first-round, best-of-three series.