Lionel Messi scored a stunning 11-minute hat-trick in the early hours of Sunday to help Inter Miami break the Major League Soccer record for most points in a single season, after defeating the New England Revolution 6-2 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Miami concluded the MLS regular season with 74 points in 34 games and a 22-4-8 (W-L-D) record, narrowly besting the Revolution’s 2021 mark of 73 points.
Luis Suárez propelled Inter Miami to rally from two goals down after 34 minutes, scoring twice in under four minutes to keep alive the chase for the points record.
But it was captain Messi who fittingly cemented Inter Miami’s name in league history. Just one minute after coming on he helped set up Benjamin Cremaschi to put Miami ahead for the first time in the 58th minute.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner then took centre stage himself, starting in the 78th minute, to score his first hat-trick for Miami and in the process become the club’s all-time leading scorer with 33 goals.
Miami also became the first team in MLS history to have multiple players score at least 20 goals in a season.
With 20 goals apiece, Messi and Suárez are set to finish second in the Golden Boot race to D.C. United’s Christian Benteke (23 goals). Messi, though, leads the league in total goal contributions with a combined 36 goals and assists in only 19 games.
Meanwhile, Inter Miami were awarded a spot in next year’s 2025 FIFA Club World Cup on Saturday and will host the opening game of the 32-team tournament featuring top clubs from around the world.
Miami, who won their first MLS Supporters’ Shield this month as the club with the most points in the regular season, are the penultimate team added to the June 15 to July 13 tournament being held around the United States.
“Congratulations on your wonderful 2024 Supporters’ Shield success. You have shown that in the United States, you are consistently the best club on the field of play,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a news release.
“Therefore, I am proud to announce that as one of the best clubs in the world, you are deserved participants in the new FIFA Club World Cup 2025 as the host club representing the United States.”
The United States were always set to have a host club in the tournament, but rather than award the spot to the winner of the Dec. 7 MLS Cup final, FIFA determined the Supporters’ Shield winner recognises consistent performance over a 34-game season.
FIFA announced Miami’s addition to the Club World Cup after they broke MLS’s regular-season points record with a 6-2 win over New England Revolution to reach 74 points. New England had set the previous record in 2021 with 73 points.
Messi made an instant impact when he joined Miami midseason last year, leading them to a Leagues Cup title, yet was unable to deliver enough magic to help his new club overcome their early season results and make the playoffs.
But in Messi’s first full MLS season, Miami wrapped up the Supporters’ Shield and top playoff seed in early October with two regular season matches remaining.
The Argentine great missed nearly half the 2024 season due to injuries and national team duties but made the most of his playing time with 20 goals in 19 games, including a hat trick during an 11-minute span late in the second half on Saturday.
The final Club World Cup team will be given to the winner of the Nov. 30 CONMEBOL Libertadores final in Buenos Aires.
Seattle Sounders are the only other MLS side in the Club World Cup after having earned their place by beating Mexican side Pumas in the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League final.
