Overview

• Inter Miami beat Nashville 5-2, with Lionel Messi scoring three times and assisting once to close the regular season on 29 goals and 19 assists in 28 matches.
• Messi led MLS in both goals and assists for 48 total goal contributions and became Inter Miami’s first Golden Boot winner.
• Javier Mascherano praised Messi’s display and said he should be MVP, with widespread reporting framing Messi as the favorite for the award.
• Fabrizio Romano reports that final details are being sorted on a new multiyear contract for Messi to stay at Inter Miami, as relayed by ESPN.
• Miami’s third-place finish secures home advantage to start the best-of-three series against Nashville before a road leg and, if necessary, a deciding game.