Guided by the extraordinary Lionel Messi, Inter Miami shattered a longstanding Major League Soccer (MLS) record on Saturday, concluding the regular season with an unprecedented 74 points. This achievement breaks the previous high of 73 points, set by the New England Revolution in 2021.
In a thrilling match that saw "The Herons" triumph with a 6-2 scoreline, Messi made a dramatic entrance from the bench in the 57th minute. His presence was immediately impactful, as he netted three goals in just over 30 minutes—a performance celebrated by the club on the social media platform X.
With the scoreboard at 3-2 and aiming to secure the victory, "The Flea," who recently scored a hat-trick against Bolivia, dazzled with a stunning goal from outside the box in the 78th minute. He followed this with a second goal in the 81st minute and capped off his remarkable hat-trick in the 89th minute after a brilliant collaboration with Luis Suárez and Ecuadorian player Leonardo Campana.
Uruguayan star Suárez contributed significantly with a double, while Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets added to the spectacle. All of them are former FC Barcelona teammates and share a deep friendship off the field.
Under the leadership of coach Gerardo Martino, the team had already secured the "MLS Supporters' Shield," ensuring home-field advantage in the playoffs. In the upcoming first round, they will face the winner of the match between Montreal and Atlanta United.
Additionally, there's exciting news that Messi and Inter Miami are set to participate in the 2024 FIFA Club World Cup as special invitees, a development announced by FIFA President Gianni Infantino after the game, as reported by the newspaper Marca.