Lionel Messi scored his second hat-trick of the week and Luis Suarez scored twice as Inter Miami beat the New England Revolution 6-2 to smash Major League Soccer’s regular season points record and confirm their participation in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
Miami’s win in their final game of the regular season took them to 74 points – one more than the previous record, set by New England in 2021.
Messi, who came off the bench in the 58th minute and led the late flurry of goals, has now scored 20 goals in 19 appearances in MLS with his former Barcelona teammate Suarez also notching 20, from 27 games.
The challenge of breaking the record added some spice to the final game of the regular season with Inter having already secured the Supporters’ Shield for the best record in the regular season to stamp themselves as clear favourites in the MLS Cup playoffs which start next week.
Miami had trailed 2-0 until Suarez scored twice before half-time to help Gerardo Martino’s team level at the interval.
Goals from Argentinian Luca Langoni and Colombian Dylan Borrero in the 34th minute had the home crowd chanting for Messi’s introduction from the bench, but it was Uruguayan Suarez who began the comeback with a firm left-foot finish.
Then Suarez levelled with a fine solo finish, making space for himself and switching to his right foot before drilling home.
Messi, who had scored a hat-trick for Argentina against Bolivia on Tuesday, came off the bench in the 58th minute and immediately helped put the team ahead finding Jordi Alba, who set up Benjamin Cremaschi for a tap-in.
New England thought they had drawn level with a goal from striker Bobby Wood but the effort was disallowed for handball following a VAR review.
Messi then made it 4-2, collecting a back-heeled pass from Suarez before brilliantly blasting into the far bottom corner.
The Argentinian was on target again when he latched on to a superb pass from Jordi Alba and made no mistake, completing his hat-trick in the 89th minute when he met a volleyed cross from Suarez with a precise first-time finish.
Messi’s three goals came within 11 minutes, and after his two-month injury absence after the Copa America, he now looks back to his best.
At the post-game celebration of the Supporters Shield success, club co-owners David Beckham and Jorge Mas were joined by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who announced that the Shield had earned the team a place in the 2025 Club World Cup.
