Lionel Messi named MLS Man of the Matchday for his performance in Inter Miami's win over New England Revolution

Lionel Messi has been named MLS Man of the Matchday for matchday 38 following his incredible cameo for Inter Miami against New England Revolution. The Argentine came on from the bench to weave his magic yet again with the scoreline at 2-2 to score an 11-minute hattrick to inspire the Herons to a 6-2 victory on the final day of the regular MLS season.

Before the match, Inter Miami had already been crowned winners of the Supporters' Shield. But securing a victory against New England Revolution would see them set a new record in Major League Soccer (MLS) history. A win against Caleb Porter's men would make them the team to finish the regular MLS season with the most points (74) in the league's history.

Going into the game, it seemed as though Inter Miami's pursuit of the most points would be an insurmountable task after they trailed by two goals after half the hour mark. Fortunately for them, they were able to come back to level terms before the break, with the help of Luis Suarez.

The game turned on its head after Lionel Messi was introduced before the hour mark. The Argentine set the tone for the go-ahead goal a few seconds after his introduction. A few minutes later, he went on a rampage to score his first hat trick for the club to earn his side a conclusive 6-2 victory.

As a recognition for his brilliance, he has been named the MLS Player of the Matchday. Apart from scoring his first hat trick for the Herons, Lionel Messi became the first player in MLS history to score a hat trick and record an assist as a substitute.

Also, this is the sixth time that Lionel Messi has been named the MLS Man of the Matchday this season. The Inter Miami talisman won the award on matchdays 9, 11, 12, 32, 36, and 38. He joined LAFC’s Carlos Vela (2019) and FC Dallas' Jason Kreis (1999) as the only players to win the award six different times in a single season.

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Inter Miami's Lionel Messi wins MLS Player of the Month

It’s a month of multiple individual accolades for Inter Miami talisman Lionel Messi, as he also won the MLS Player of the Month for October 2024. Despite not playing for more than two months for the Herons, Messi was a linchpin in his side’s league triumph.

Inter Miami played three games in October and won all, but it could have a different result without the Argentine. Apart from the match against Charlotte, Lionel Messi was instrumental in Inter Miami’s other two matches in October.

His brace against Columbus helped the Herons secure a narrow 3-2 victory, and his hat trick against New England Revolution saw them set a new record in MLS history. Messi had the most goal contributions in the MLS in October (5 goals, 1 assist). This is Messi’s second Player of the Month award in the 2024 season, winning it previously in April.