Lionel Messi scored a sensational hat-trick to win the Major League Soccer Golden Boot on Saturday, leading Inter Miami into the playoffs with a commanding 5-2 victory over Nashville SC.
The Argentine superstar concluded the season with an astonishing 29 goals in 28 matches, comfortably surpassing Los Angeles FC’s Denis Bouanga and Nashville’s Sam Surridge, who tied for second place with 24 goals each.
Messi’s first MLS Golden Boot win also strengthens his case for a second consecutive Most Valuable Player award. The victory secured third place in the Eastern Conference for Miami, setting up a first-round playoff rematch against Nashville, which begins on October 24.
“What can I say about Leo?” Inter coach Javier Mascherano remarked after the match. “Today, he was exceptional, as he usually is. He has helped us win the match once again, and surely he will be awarded the Most Valuable Player award for what he has demonstrated.”
After a tense opening, Messi broke the deadlock in the 34th minute, taking a pass from Jordi Alba and unleashing a powerful left-footed shot into the bottom corner from outside the penalty area. Nashville responded just before halftime, first with a near-post header from Sam Surridge in the 43rd minute, followed by a goal from Jacob Shaffelburg, who pounced on a rebound deep in first-half injury time to give his side a 2-1 lead.
Miami came out transformed in the second half. In the 63rd minute, Messi calmly converted his first penalty of the season after a handball was called against Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar. Baltasar Rodriguez then put Miami ahead 3-2 in the 67th minute.
Messi completed his hat-trick in the 81st minute with a signature curling shot that navigated through traffic and past the goalkeeper. Telasco Segovia added a fifth goal in stoppage time to seal the emphatic win.
“In the first half, it was very tough for us; we lacked intensity,” Mascherano admitted. “The second half was different. We played in the opponent’s half, took more risks, and finished at a great level.”
Playoff Picture Finalised in the West
On the final day of the regular season, expansion club San Diego FC secured the top seed in the Western Conference with a 4-0 victory over the Portland Timbers. Amahl Pellegrino and Anders Dreyer each scored twice to help San Diego finish level with the Vancouver Whitecaps on 63 points, clinching the top spot on a tiebreaker and completing the best regular season for a debut franchise in MLS history.
Vancouver fell 2-1 to FC Dallas, who secured their playoff berth with goals from Osaze Urhoghide and Kaick. Thomas Mueller scored a penalty for the Whitecaps, who played most of the match with 10 men. The two teams will face each other again in the first round of the playoffs.
Real Salt Lake also qualified for the postseason following a 2-2 draw at St. Louis.
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