Lionel Messi Nets Another Hat Trick as Inter Miami Makes MLS History
by by Chukwu Ikechukwu · Legit.ng News · Join- Lionel Messi scored a remarkable hat trick in just 11 minutes, leading Inter Miami to a 6-2 victory over New England Revolution
- This win allowed Inter Miami to set a new Major League Soccer record for the most points in a single season
- Miami finished the MLS regular season with 74 points from 34 games, boasting a record of 22 wins, 4 losses, and 8 draws
Inter Miami made Major League Soccer history with a 6–2 victory over New England Revolution on the final day of the regular season, highlighted by a hat trick from Lionel Messi.
Under the guidance of Gerardo 'Tata' Martino, Miami set a new record for the most points in a single MLS season, finishing with 74 points.
They surpassed the previous record of 73 points held by New England from the 2021 season.
Despite their eventual triumph, the Herons started sluggishly at Chase Stadium, finding themselves down 2–0 in the first half after goals from Revolution players Luca Langoni and Dylan Borrero.
However, Miami rallied to secure an impressive comeback, solidifying their place in MLS history, per ESPN.
Messi scores hattrick
Miami quickly turned the tide with a rapid brace from Luis Suárez just before halftime, levelling the match with goals in the 40th and 43rd minutes.
After Messi came on, the Herons took the lead when young talent Benjamin Cremaschi scored just before the hour mark.
The Argentine then showcased his brilliance by netting his 18th and 19th league goals of the 2024 season in a stunning three-minute flurry.
The 37-year-old struck with a long-range stunner followed by a close-range finish before completing his hat trick with a brilliant run into the heart of the New England penalty area.
This marked Messi's second consecutive hattrick, having scored three goals for Argentina against Bolivia in his last international match.
With an impressive tally of 20 goals and 16 assists in just 19 appearances, Messi appears poised to secure the Landon Donovan MVP award, per Bleacher Report.
Meanwhile, Suárez remains a strong contender for the individual honour, boasting 20 goals and nine assists in 27 appearances.
Messi 'jabs' Ronaldo
In an earlier report by Legit.ng, Messi appeared to make a subtle remark about his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo.
After netting a hat-trick and providing two assists in Argentina's World Cup qualifiers, Messi’s international goal tally rose to 112, placing him second to Ronaldo.
However, during a post-match interview, Messi downplayed the importance of the numbers, stating that he wasn't focused on the statistics.