Messi, Inter Miami Finish with Best Record in MLS History

Lionel Messi checked into the match early in the second half, the score tied and Inter Miami's chances at breaking a pair of Major League Soccer regular-season records very much uncertain.
In that instant, it all changed.
Messi had three goals — his first MLS hat trick — and an assist in the span of about 30 minutes, Luis Suarez scored twice and Inter Miami rolled past New England 6-2 on Saturday night to set MLS records for most points and best winning percentage, The Associated Press reported. Inter Miami finished with 74 points, one more than New England had in its record-setting season in 2021.
Best player ever. Best MLS record ever. A perfect match.
“This night is yours,” Inter Miami primary owner Jorge Mas said after the match, as the team celebrated the Supporters' Shield — which it won earlier this month on the road at Columbus — in a ceremony for the home fans. “The best fans on the face of the Earth.”
The party was going to happen either way. Messi just made it even more special.
At 22-4-8 in league play, Inter Miami finished the season with a .765 winning percentage for another MLS record. Four teams — D.C. United (24-8) and the LA Galaxy (24-8) in 1998, LAFC (21-4-9) in 2019 and New England (22-5-7) in 2021 — had finished an MLS season with a .750 winning percentage, which was the best until Saturday night.
Now, the top spot is Inter Miami’s by any measure, both in terms of points and best won-lost-tied mark. Inter Miami also became the eighth team in MLS history to get through a regular season with only four losses, tying another record.
“Our players are what has made this season successful,” Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham said. “Our captain has led us. Our players have led us in times where it was difficult. But now, tonight we celebrate. Tomorrow, we prepare for Friday, the playoffs.”
Suarez and Messi finished with 20 goals apiece, the first MLS teammates to reach that milestone in the same season. It was Messi's first hat trick for Inter Miami, the team the Argentine superstar joined midway through the 2023 season in a huge victory for MLS.
If all that wasn't enough, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said after the match that Inter Miami — as has been generally expected — would be in the Club World Cup next summer as the host country representative. The tournament starts June 15, 2025 in Miami Gardens, and Inter Miami will play the first match.
Messi finished the regular season with 20 goals and 16 assists in 19 matches. Suarez got to 20 goals in his first MLS season, his two goals Saturday — coming about three minutes apart — helping Inter Miami erase an early 2-0 deficit.
Luca Langoni and Dylan Borrero had the goals for New England. The rest of the match was all Miami.
Suarez's brace pulled the hosts into a tie by halftime and Benja Cremaschi scored the go-ahead goal in the 58th minute. Messi had an assist on Cremaschi’s goal, one that came just seconds after the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner subbed into the match.
There had been some question about whether Messi would play at all, especially since Inter Miami had already wrapped up the Supporters' Shield and No. 1 seed in the MLS Cup playoffs. All that was at stake for Inter Miami on Saturday was the record.
And there was a scare in the 74th minute when Messi was fouled, yelled in pain and grabbed at his right ankle as he was on the ground. He’s missed 15 of Inter Miami’s MLS matches in 2024, either because of commitments to Argentina’s national team or the two-month absence that he needed to recover from a badly injured ankle — an injury that happened during his nation’s run to the Copa America title in July.
It was just a scare.
Messi scored about two minutes apart in the second half, turning a 3-2 lead into a 5-2 rout and it was only a matter of time before the record would belong to Inter Miami. And the capper came in the 89th minute, Suarez flipping the ball to Messi for an easy score to complete the hat trick.
Next up for Inter Miami: Game 1 of a best-of-three first-round series, at home Friday night against either CF Montreal or Atlanta United, who will play in a wild-card match on Tuesday night. It will be the first home playoff match in Inter Miami history.
“Onto the playoffs,” Beckham said, “and we'll be ready.”

Bayern Munich have enough talented players to replace injured striker Harry Kane, starting on Tuesday with their German Cup round of 16 tie against holders Bayer Leverkusen, coach Vincent Kompany.

The England captain, who has netted 20 goals across all competitions this season and leads the Bundesliga scorers' list with 14, suffered a thigh muscle injury in Saturday's 1-1 league draw at Borussia Dortmund.

Kane is expected to be out for a couple of weeks but Kompany said he hoped he could still return to action before the winter break starts on Dec. 22. Bayern are top of the Bundesliga with a four-point lead over Eintracht Frankfurt.

"It is difficult to say at this moment but there is a chance for him to still play this year," Kompany told a press conference on Monday.

"But he will miss several games and to replace him, you know you cannot replace the goals or the player one-for-one. That's why he is a top player."

Kompany said players like Thomas Mueller, Serge Gnabry, Michael Olise and Leroy Sane had enough experience to fill the gap.

"We have talent in the team and need to solve it differently. We won't be lacking talent tomorrow but it will look different," Kompany said.

"We have many options. Thomas Mueller, Mathys Tel, Gnabry, Olise, Leroy. I now named almost everyone. Obviously, Harry has scored 20 goals... but we have dangerous players in attack."

Bayern last won the German Cup in 2020 and have failed to get past the quarter-finals since, losing in the second round in three of the past four seasons.

"We play the Cup holders tomorrow. One of the top two or three games in Germany, and I hope our performance will match the importance of the game," Kompany said.

Messi, Inter Miami Finish with Best Record in MLS History