Lionel Messi enjoys perfect night as Inter Miami star scores brace and collects MLS Golden Boot award

Lionel Messi continued his red-hot form with a brace in Inter Miami's 3-1 win over Nashville SC in the first round of the MLS playoffs. 

Messi was presented with the MLS Golden Boot award by MLS commissioner Don Garber ahead of Saturday's first leg.

The Argentina international racked up 29 goals in 28 appearances during the regular season to finish ahead of Nashville's Sam Surridge and Denis Bouanga in the MLS scoring charts.

Garber heaped praise on Messi for the impact that he has had on the league since his arrival from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023.

"I'm here tonight not just to attend the game but to present Leo with the Golden Boot," Garber said as per ESPN. "I don't think we ever could have imagined that Leo would have been able to deliver for this club, for this city and for this league the way he had."

Timeless.

Leo Messi, your 2025 @MLS Golden Boot Winner ? pic.twitter.com/ZwXlljJ4fu

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) October 25, 2025

Messi continues impressive form with match-winning brace

After receiving the Golden Boot award, Messi quickly turned his focus to matters on the pitch for the first leg of Inter Miami's first-round clash at Chase Stadium.

The Inter Miami captain opened the scoring inside the opening 20 minutes after neatly linking up with Luis Suarez.

Messi laid the ball off to the Uruguayan, before he continued his run into the box to produce a diving header from Suarez's return cross. 

Tadeo Allende doubled the advantage just past the hour mark, before Messi tapped in following a goalkeeping error to add his second and Inter Miami's third in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

As it proved, there was still time for Hany Mukhtar to pull a goal back to reduce Inter Miami's lead to two in the best-of-three series.

GOOOOL! Asistencia de Lucho ➡️ Cabezazo de Leoooo ⚽️? pic.twitter.com/LuVc9vIV79

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) October 25, 2025

What next for Messi and Inter Miami?

Messi has now racked up 39 goals in 44 competitive matches this season, including seven goals in his last three appearances.

The 2022 World Cup winner will attempt to score in a fourth consecutive game when they travel to Geodis Park for the second match of the series against Nashville. 

If Miami win, they will advance to the next round of the playoffs, while a defeat would force a decider at Chase Stadium. 

There can be draws in the first round of the MLS playoffs, so next Saturday's game could go straight to a penalty shootout if it finishes all square in regulation time.