Lionel Messi closed the regular season in style, solidifying his grip on the Golden Boot with 29 goals – not that there was ever much doubt. Still, the Inter Miami star wasn’t content to coast. In what might have been his best performance of 2025, Messi put Nashville to the sword in a 5-2 win, sending a clear message to the rest of MLS ahead of the playoffs: look out.
Saturday was special, even by Messi's lofty standards. He finished with three goals and an assist at Geodis Park, and this was vintage Messi: dribbling, passing, and ultimately, scoring in ways that other humans simply cannot.
Despite the dominant scoreline, it certainly didn't begin that way. From the opening whistle, it was Nashville, not Miami, that looked destined to put up goals. Under an avalanche of shots, though, Miami somehow never broke. Nashville striker Sam Surridge had six shots before Messi got his first.
But once the Argentine scored his first goal, it became the start of something special. He buried it seemingly out of nowhere, giving Miami the lead in the 35th minute.
After seeing his side concede two just before halftime, with Surridge and Jacob Shaffelburg giving the home side a 2-1 lead, Messi ensured that the second 45 would be his. He netted a penalty in the 63rd minute to equalize. He then set up the sequence that led to Baltasar Rodriguez's go-ahead goal in the 67th minute.
In the 81st minute, he put the game out of reach with his hat-trick goal before then turning provider yet again by unselfishly teeing up Telasco Segovia in stoppage time to put an exclamation point on the night. There was seemingly nothing Nashville could do to prevent Messi from being Messi. He finished the regular season with 29 goals and 19 assists.
The playoffs begin this week and, after winning other silverware the last few years, Miami have their sights set on MLS Cup. That's a scary thought, then, for the teams in their way – especially if Messi continues to play at this level.
GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Geodis Park.
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Rocco Rios Novo (7/10):
In truth, it would have been a lot worse if not for him. Nashville were really going for it in the first half, and it was Inter Miami's goalkeeper who kept them from running away with it.
Jordi Alba (6/10):
A typical Alba performance – even in these final days of his career: a lot of attacking, minimal defending.
Maxi Falcon (5/10):
Got totally done by Hany Mukhtar on Nashville's opener, but he isn't the first one to have that happen to him. Fair to say he and the Miami defense bended but never quite broke, but it would be nice if they didn't have to bend so much.
Gonzalo Lujan (5/10):
Totally lost on Nashville's first goal. Was taken off early in the second half because, in general, Miami's defense was struggling.
Marcelo Weigandt (6/10):
Crossing was pretty poor, but everything else was relatively okay.
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Baltasar Rodriguez (7/10):
Right place, right time for the goal, and it was deserved as the 22-year-old Argentine went right at Nashville defenders seemingly every time he got the ball.
Rodrigo De Paul (5/10):
Did well to keep tempo, but wasn't as physically dominant as expected, particularly in the first half when Nashville were overrunning Miami.
Sergio Busquets (6/10):
Not quite vintage Busquets, but pretty close. So cool on the ball, and he did have a few good moments defensively in his last regular season match.
Tadeo Allende (4/10):
Missed a sitter and could have easily been sent off for a reckless tackle. Not his day.
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Lionel Messi (10/10):
What else is there to say? Absolutely ran the show with three goals and an assist. If this is a playoff warm-up, look out.
Luis Suarez (7/10):
Didn't get a goal, but was certainly involved in two of them. Nashville were physical with him but, in true Suarez fashion, he never shied away.
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Ian Fray (7/10):
Credited with the assist on Messi's hat-trick goal, but being honest, it was mostly the Argentine's work.
Telasco Segovia (8/10):
Brought some life into the second half, which was key for Miami as they really pushed as the game wore on. Got his goal late on, too, to really put the cherry on top.
Yannick Bright (6/10):
Much-needed life and legs in the midfield as Miami looked to protect their points.
Tomas Aviles (N/A):
Chucked on in the final minutes to swat away any late Nashville attempts.
Javier Mascherano (7/10):
Miami didn't look good in the first half, but Mascherano made the moves to settle his side down. On some nights, that's all he needs to do, and Messi, eventually, will do the rest. This was one of those nights.