Lionel Messi Scripts More History! Finishes Regular MLS Season With Highest...

Last Updated:October 19, 2025, 08:08 IST

With his hattrick on Sunday, which was the 60th in his career, Messi finished the regular MLS season with 29 goals and 16 assists in just 27 outings.

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) watches his his ball go in the net against Nashville SC during the first half of a MLS soccer match Saturday, Oct. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi shattered multiple records on Sunday as he inspired MLS side Inter Miami to a 5-2 win over Nashville as the Argentine genius produced a scintillating hattrick.

With his hattrick on Sunday, which was the 60th in his career, Messi finished the regular MLS season with 29 goals and 16 assists in just 27 outings, the best figures ever in a single season of the US top-flight.

Messi opened the scoring in the 36th minute before Sam Sturridge levelled for the hosts two minutes from the HT whistle before Jacob Schaffelburg gave Nashville the lead in stoppage time of the opening period. Messi, however, inspired a comeback as he restored parity in the 63rd minute with a spot kick before Baltasar Rodriguez put his side ahead a couple of minutes later. Messi completed his hattrick in the 81st minute, before setting up Telasco Segovic in the final embers of the game in selfless fashion.

“It’s so obvious that he (Messi) gives us an advantage every night. There aren’t enough words to say about him," Inter Miami defender Ian Fray said.

“Towards the end of the game, our quality took over and we won the game," he continued.

“We have some of the greatest players to ever play the game here. Whoever we’re going to play, we have the same mindset," Fray said.

Nashville coach B.J. Callaghan acknowledged his side’s error in boxing Messi in stating, “We didn’t do a good enough job defending Messi, especially in the final 24, 25 yards. I think he was able to find spaces in the combinations,".

“If you give him chances on the top of the box, he’s going to take them," he continued.

“That was a playoff game and we’ve earned our way into the playoffs. We look forward to playing Miami again. Overall, on the game, it was a tale of two halves, and there are going to be some learning lessons we take from the second half," Callaghan added.

Inter Miami close out the regular season with 19 wins, 7 draws and 8 defeats to finish as third seeds in the Eastern Conference and will take on sixth-seeded Nashville in the first round of the MLS playoffs.

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