FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A legendary Golden Boot presented by Audi win calls for a legendary celebration.
Inter Miami CF superstar captain Lionel Messi was honored before Friday’s Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Round One opener against Nashville SC for his remarkable regular-season output of 29g/19a that established him as the league's top goal scorer of 2025.
Those eye-popping numbers also put him one goal contribution shy of Carlos Vela's MLS-record 49 for LAFC in 2019.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber presented the legendary Argentine No. 10 with the Golden Boot as a chorus of "Messi, Messi, Messi" echoed throughout Chase Stadium.
Messi wasted no time continuing his red-hot form in Game 1, getting Inter Miami's series with Nashville off to a roaring start with a 19th-minute opening goal.
He made it a brace in second-half stoppage-time and assisted in Tadeo Allende's 62nd-minute header to round out a 3-1 win.
Messi has scored a goal in three straight matches. He'll look to make it four in a row, and help Miami wrap up their Round One Best-of-3 Series, when visiting Nashville in Game 2 on Nov. 1 (7:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV).
