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

Lionel Messi delivered a stunning hat-trick as Inter Miami rounded off one of the most prolific attacking seasons in MLS history, sealing a 5–2 victory over Nashville SC in their final match of the 2025 regular season.

The 38-year-old superstar scored three goals and provided an assist, taking his tally to 29 goals and 19 assists, totalling 48 goal contributions for the campaign — just one shy of Carlos Vela’s 2019 record of 49 with LAFC.

As a team, Miami scored 81 goals in 2025, becoming only the third team in MLS history to surpass the 80-goal mark. The Herons have now set a new club record for goals scored in a single season, eclipsing their previous best by two. League-wide, only the LA Galaxy (1998) and LAFC (2019) have ever scored more, with 85 goals each.

Messi began the night on 26 goals and 18 assists and was already the frontrunner for the MLS Golden Boot. His latest performance all but secured the award ahead of Denis Bouanga, who had yet to play his Decision Day fixture against the Colorado Rapids.

The Argentine maestro opened the scoring in the 35th minute, arriving late at the top of the box before curling a superb finish from distance. He added a second from the penalty spot in the 63rd minute, before completing his hat-trick in the 81st. Messi then turned provider deep into stoppage time, setting up Telasco Segovia for Miami’s fifth goal of the night.

Messi’s 29 goals make him the first player since Vela in 2019 to surpass the 23-goal mark in a single MLS season. It also represents a remarkable increase from last season, when Christian Benteke claimed the Golden Boot with 23 goals for D.C. United.

In addition to topping the scoring charts, Messi also moved ahead of San Diego FC’s Anders Dreyer in the assist standings with 19. Dreyer still has one regular season match to play on Decision Day.

The emphatic win also secured Inter Miami’s third seed in the Eastern Conference play-offs. The Herons are now set to face Nashville SC again in the first-round best-of-three series, with Messi poised to lead the charge in their bid for a maiden MLS Cup title.