His first touch was enough to seal the win: a sublime ball over the back to Jordi Alba, who crossed it centrally to United States international Benja Cremaschi. Messi scored a hat-trick to close the game. Despite missing 15 of the schedule’s 34 games, the Argentine captain finished the regular season with 20 goals and 16 assists.

Lionel Messi completed Inter Miami's latest comeback with his very first touch — and then capped it off with a hat trick.

Messi had three goals and an assist in the second half alone, Luis Suárez had a pair of first-half goals and Inter Miami beat the New England Revolution 6-2 on Saturday night, finishing the season with an MLS-record 74 points — one more than the Revolution had in 2021.