Messi scores hat-trick as Inter Miami advance to 2025 Club World Cup | Football News

Messi scored three goals and Suárez scored two as Inter Miami beat New England 6-2, breaking the MLS regular-season points record and securing a place in the Club World Cup.

An inspired Lionel Messi scored his second hat-trick of the week and Luis Suarez scored twice as Inter Miami beat the New England Revolution 6-2, breaking Major League Soccer's regular season points record and securing their place in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 confirmed.

Miami's win in the final game of the regular season brought them to 74 points – one more than the previous record set by New England in 2021.

Messi, who came on as a 58th-minute substitute and led the late flurry of goals, has now scored 20 goals in 19 MLS games, while his former Barcelona teammate Suarez also scored 20 goals in 27 games.

The challenge of breaking the record added some spice to the final game of the regular season, as Inter had already secured the Supporters' Shield for the best regular season record and were clear favorites in the MLS Cup playoffs, which start next week.

Miami trailed 2-0 until Suarez scored twice before halftime and helped Gerardo Martino's team equalize at the break.

Goals from Argentine Luca Langoni and Colombian Dylan Borrero in the 34th minute had the home crowd loudly cheering Messi's introduction from the bench, but it was Uruguayan Suárez who initiated the comeback with a confident left-footed shot.

Suarez then equalized with a beautiful solo finish, creating space and switching to his right foot before driving the ball home.

Messi, who scored a hat-trick for Argentina against Bolivia on Tuesday, came on as a substitute in the 58th minute and immediately helped put the team ahead by finding Jordi Alba, who set up Benjamin Cremaschi to come on.

New England thought they had drawn level with a goal from striker Bobby Wood, but the attempt was disallowed after a VAR review for handball.

Messi then made it 4-2 by intercepting a backheel pass from Suarez and then brilliantly firing into the far bottom corner.

The Argentine was on target again when he intercepted a great pass from Jordi Alba and made no mistake. He completed his hat-trick in the 89th minute when he met a volleyed cross from Suarez with a precise first-time finish.

Messi's three goals came in 11 minutes and he is now looking back at his best after his two-month injury layoff following the Copa America.

At the post-match celebration of the Supporters Shield's success, club co-owners David Beckham and Jorge Mas were joined by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who announced that the Shield had secured the team a place in the 2025 Club World Cup.

Welcome to #FIFACWC, @InterMiamiCF! 👋#TakeItToTheWorld pic.twitter.com/vCPQ7eNAxU

— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) October 20, 2024

The Club World Cup gives Messi a boost

Miami will take the host nation's designated qualifying spot.

“Inter Miami qualifies as a representative host country team due to the club's outstanding and consistent 34-game season in which it secured the title with two MLS games remaining,” FIFA said in a statement.

The official MLS champions will be determined in the MLS Cup playoffs, which begin next week and conclude with the final on December 7th.

Miami is the favorite to win the playoffs, but FIFA's decision to select the regular season winners ensures the Argentine superstar's involvement.

The participation of eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi is a much-needed boost to the revamped tournament, which FIFA hopes will capture the imagination of global television audiences as well as fans in the United States for the World Cup in 2026.

The competition could see Messi face a top European club for the first time since moving to Miami from Paris Saint-Germain last year.

The 32-team tournament features title-winning teams from all continental FIFA confederations.

The players' union FIFPRO and the European Leagues Body filed a joint complaint with the European Commission against FIFA over the inclusion of the tournament in the international match calendar.

Opponents of the new tournament said it would add strain to an already crowded schedule and increase the workload on players.