Messi scores three goals, secures Golden Boot as Miami beat Nashville

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Lionel Messi’s 29 goals successful 28 matches let the Argentinian prima to decorativeness arsenic MLS’s apical scorer for the archetypal time.

Published On 19 Oct 2025

Lionel Messi recorded a hat-trick and added an assist, portion Baltasar Rodriguez scored the tie-breaking extremity arsenic visiting Inter Miami utilized a second-half battle to decision Nashville SC 5-2 successful a Decision Day matchup connected Saturday night.

Telasco Segovia besides scored for Inter Miami (19-7-8, 65 points), who won their 3rd consecutive game. Miami volition beryllium the No 3 effect successful the Eastern Conference playoffs and faces a rematch with No 6 Nashville successful the archetypal round.

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Sam Surridge and Jacob Shaffelburg scored goals for Nashville (16-12-6, 54 points), which did not let a changeable implicit the archetypal 34 minutes earlier being severely exposed successful the 2nd half.

Messi was a wide victor successful the 2025 MLS Golden Boot race, finishing the regular play with 29 goals. Los Angeles FC’s Denis Bouanga (24 goals) and Surridge (24 goals) were the next-best. The 38-year-old besides led the league successful assists, with 19.

Rocco Rios Novo made 5 saves for Miami, portion Nashville’s Joe Willis had 4 stops.

Nashville was nursing a 2-1 pb successful the 2nd fractional until Andy Najar was called for a handball.

Messi took the ensuing punishment footwear successful the 63rd infinitesimal and easy sent a left-footed changeable into the near country of the nett to necktie the match.

The extremity energised Miami, and it moved up conscionable 4 minutes later.

Luis Suarez took a right-footed changeable that Willis knocked away. But the shot bounced implicit towards Rodriguez, who sent a right-footed changeable past Willis to springiness Miami a 3-2 lead.

Messi was astatine it again successful the 81st infinitesimal arsenic helium booted a left-footed changeable into the little near country to marque it 4-2.

In the archetypal infinitesimal of second-half stoppage time, Messi had possession and closed successful connected Willis earlier feeding the wide-open Segovia, who kicked the shot into the nett to decorativeness disconnected the flurry.

Miami outshot Nashville 17-15 and had a 9-7 borderline successful shots connected target.

Nashville dominated play successful the archetypal fractional but led conscionable 2-1 astatine halftime.

Miami’s archetypal changeable came on Messi’s extremity successful the 34th minute. He received the shot from Jordi Alba and had 3 defenders to manoeuvre astir earlier sending a left-footed changeable into the near country of the net.

Nashville responded successful the 43rd infinitesimal erstwhile Hany Mukhtar sent a abbreviated centring walk to Surridge, who knocked successful a header.

Nashville struck again successful the sixth infinitesimal of first-half stoppage time. Mukhtar took a changeable that caromed disconnected the close goalpost, and the shot went straight to Shaffelburg, who knocked it location to enactment Nashville ahead.