Lionel Messi has another Golden Boot, and Inter Miami are looking dangerous heading into the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Messi, 38, scored three more goals for Miami in the final match of the MLS regular season as they pasted Nashville 5-2 in Tennessee.
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Messi’s 29 goals were five more than runners-up Sam Surridge, who scored for the hosts on Saturday, and LAFC’s Denis Bouanga, and came in just 26 games as the Herons star missed two games with injury, another through a suspension for skipping the All-Star Game, and three more via rest.
The serial Ballon d’Or winner finished with 16 assists in MLS play, one shy of San Diego FC’s Andres Dreyer for the league lead, and did it all in 2,420 minutes. That’s a goal or an assist about every 54 minutes of play, and his 45 goal contributions were nine more than No. 2 ranked Dreyer.
Inter Miami finished a point back of Supporters’ Shield winners Philadelphia Union and will be the East’s No. 3 seed for the playoffs after finishing level on points with FC Cincinnati but a win behind the Ohio side.
Messi’s Miami meet Nashville in a best-of-three series for a berth in the East’s semifinals.
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Saturday’s goals, by the way, were not too shabby — especially Messi’s work on the first.
