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 still 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 have done to prevent Messi from being Messi. He now finishes 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…