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A rampant Lionel Messi scored a sensational hat-trick to seal Major League Soccer’s Golden Boot award on Saturday as Inter Miami roared into the playoffs with a 5-2 victory over Nashville SC.
The Argentine superstar tallied an astonishing 29 goals from 28 matches, with Los Angeles FC’s Denis Bouanga and Nashville’s Sam Surridge tied for second best with 24 goals.
Messi claimed his first MLS Golden Boot and also staked his claim to a second straight Most Valuable Player award with a bravura performance that saw Inter rally to clinch third place in the Eastern Conference.
They’ll face the same Nashville team in the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs starting on October 24.
Nashville had seen some quality chances go begging when Messi put Miami in front in the 34th minute with a cracking goal from outside the penalty area.
Messi took a pass from Jordi Alba and made one cut before he unleashed a left-footed shot into the bottom left corner.
Nine minutes later, Nashville’s Surridge grabbed his 24th goal of the season when he headed in a pinpoint delivery from Hany Mukhtar at the near post.
Nashville seized a 2-1 lead deep in first-half injury time when Jacob Shaffelburg was there to fire home the rebound off a Mukhtar shot that hit the post.
Messi’s first penalty conversion of the season pulled Inter level in the 63rd.
The referee pointed to the spot after a ball deflected by Luis Suarez hit Mukhtar on the arm.
Messi stepped up and rolled it past Nashville keeper Joe Willis.
After Baltasar Rodriguez made it 3-2 to Miami in the 67th, Messi completed his hat-trick in the 81st with a curling shot through traffic and past Willis.
Miami’s Telasco Segovia completed the scoring against a shell-shocked Nashville in second-half injury time.
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