This match was Messi’s last appearance before joining the national team for the October friendlies in the United States. Inter Miami, already guaranteed a playoff spot, fielded several of its biggest names and most of its starters, while AFA president Chiqui Tapia watched from the stands.

In the 32nd minute, Messi threaded a perfect pass to Tadeo Allende, who finished with precision to open the scoring. Before halftime, the No. 10 struck again with another masterful play: he won the ball from the opponent, drove down the left flank, and assisted Jordi Alba, who slotted home for a 2-0 lead.

In the second half, the visitors tried to respond, pulling one back through a powerful long-range strike from David Turgeman in the 14th minute. However, their hopes of an equalizer lasted only seconds, as Messi immediately delivered another surgical assist to Allende, making it 3-1. Messi’s performance was another reminder of his vision and creativity on the field.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s single-game assist record

Cristiano Ronaldo’s top single soccer game assist record stands at four, achieved in Real Madrid’s 8-1 rout of UD Almería on May 21, 2011. This achievement is notable because it highlights Ronaldo’s ability to be an elite facilitator—something historically attributed more to Lionel Messi. While Messi often racks up three or four assists per match as part of his creative routine, Ronaldo’s performance that day showcased the full breadth of his offensive arsenal.

The first notable assist came for the 3-1 goal, with a precise pass to Karim Benzema, who finished into an empty net. In the second half, Ronaldo continued his streak by setting up Emmanuel Adebayor after a shot attempt of his own, followed by another perfect through ball to Benzema. These contributions directly countered the narrative that Ronaldo was a “selfish” player focused solely on scoring.

Ronaldo’s fourth and final assist was particularly generous, completing the record. He delivered a precise cross for youth academy product Joselu to score with a header, giving a less experienced teammate a moment in the spotlight. This generosity often contrasts with Messi’s playstyle in fans’ eyes, but the match demonstrates that Ronaldo also possessed exceptional vision and team awareness.

In the context of their historic rivalry, Ronaldo’s four-assist game highlights his ability to contribute offensively beyond scoring. While goals have been his primary weapon, this 2011 performance shows he could also match Messi’s playmaking in a single night, adding a significant layer to his legacy.

Lionel Messi’s top single-game assist record

The record for most assists in a single club match for Lionel Messi is five. He achieved this historic feat in the MLS with Inter Miami during a 6-2 victory over the New York Red Bulls in May 2024. One more than Ronaldo’s record, this performance further cements Messi not just as a scorer but as one of the most complete playmakers in soccer history.

According to Jose Armando Rodriguez, Inter Miami completed their final training session with the entire squad, indicating that Lionel Messi is physically ready to lead the offense. With this in mind, head coach Javier Mascherano will field the Argentine star, hoping he will guide the team to an important victory and break their negative streak.

Despite not requiring a victory to advance to the season’s second phase, the Herons must avoid a slump to maintain momentum heading into the playoffs. A series of subpar performances could jeopardize their MLS Cup aspirations. To counter this, head coach Javier Mascherano will reintroduce Rodrigo De Paul into the midfield alongside Sergio Busquets to bolster the team’s defensive stability and ensure they enter the postseason in top form.

Inter Miami eagerly welcome back Luis Suarez to the front line, his recent striking performance highlighted by an impressive brace. With his return, the Herons’ offense looks poised to dominate, especially as Lionel Messi tirelessly pursues his quest for a first MLS Golden Boot. Given their current form, the matchup against the New England Revolution promises to be an electrifying contest.

Inter Miami lineup vs New England Revolution

Unlike previous matches, Inter Miami enter the game against New England Revolution with a full squad, with only Mateo Silvetti absent as he plays in the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup with Argentina. Despite this, head coach Javier Mascherano will make changes to his lineup, seeking improvement over previous games. However, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi promise to once again lead the team’s offense.

With this in mind, the Herons will lineup as follows: Rocco Rios Novo; Ian Fray, Maximiliano Falcon, Noah Allen, Jordi Alba; Baltasar Rodriguez, Sergio Busquets, Rodrigo De Paul, Tadeo Allende; Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez.

New England Revolution lineup vs Inter Miami

New England Revolution come into the game against Inter Miami with three players missing: Peyton Miller (suspended due to accumulated yellow cards), Ilay Feingold (ankle injury), and Ignatius Ganago (calf injury). Despite this, they are coming off an important victory against Atlanta United with Leonardo Campana regaining his scoring touch. For this reason, head coach Caleb Porter will opt for continuity in his lineup.

Considering this, NE Revolution will play as follows: Matt Turner; Brandon Bye, Brayan Ceballos, Mamadou Fofana, Tanner Beason, William Sands; Carles Gil, Allan Oyirwoth, Matt Polster; Dor Turgeman, Leonardo Campana.

[Watch Inter Miami vs New England Revolution live in the USA on Apple TV]

In a wild back-and-forth battle, Inter Miami came up short in a 5-3 loss to the Chicago Fire, a setback that stalled their push toward the top of the standings with the regular season winding down. Lionel Messi and his squad are now focused on a strong finish, aiming to climb as high as possible before the postseason.

Their next challenge comes against the New England Revolution, who may be out of contention but remain determined to close the season on a high note—and nothing would make a bigger statement than knocking off Messi’s Miami side.

When will the Inter Miami vs New England Revolution match be played?

Inter Miami will take on New England Revolution this Saturday, October 4, in a 2025 MLS regular season game, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 PM (ET).

Inter Miami vs New England Revolution: Time by State in the USA

ET: 7:30 PM
CT: 6:30 PM
MT: 5:30 PM
PT: 4:30 PM

How to watch Inter Miami vs New England Revolution in the USA

Tune in to MLS League Pass on Apple TV to catch the 2025 MLS regular season showdown between Inter Miami and New England Revolution, live in the USA.

[Watch CF Montreal vs Inter Miami live in the USA on Apple TV]

Inter Miami made a strong statement in their return to MLS action with a commanding 4-1 win following their Club World Cup run, as Lionel Messi led the charge to keep the team firmly in playoff position.

Inter turn now their attention to a tougher challenge against a struggling New England side. The Revolution, sitting outside the playoff zone with 24 points, are desperate for a result that could close the gap and reignite their postseason hopes.

When will the New England vs Inter Miami match be played?

New England will take on Inter Miami this Wednesday, July 9, in a 2025 MLS regular season game, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 PM (ET).

New England vs Inter Miami: Time by State in the USA

ET: 7:30 PM
CT: 6:30 PM
MT: 5:30 PM
PT: 4:30 PM

How to watch New England vs Inter Miami in the USA

Tune in to MLS League Pass on Apple TV to catch the 2025 MLS regular season showdown between New England and Inter Miami, live in the USA.

Inter Miami found themselves down by two goals early on, but before halftime, Luis Suarez leveled the game with two goals in just three minutes. The real magic, however, came in the second half when Messi took the field wearing the No. 10 jersey.

“Inter Miami is a team that you know when they’re struggling, they have world-class players who can change the game in an instant. Suárez, in the first half, made two individual plays that really shifted the momentum,” Porter remarked in the post-game press conference.

More than 20,000 fans at Chase Stadium erupted as Messi began warming up. He stepped onto the pitch 12 minutes into the second half with the score tied at 2-2 and needed less than a minute to shift the dynamics of the game.

Jordi Alba broke into the box and laid a pass off to Messi, who one-timed a perfectly weighted ball back to Alba, setting up Benjamin Cremaschi for the finish. All this happened in just 34 seconds from the moment Messi entered the field, and Porter didn’t hesitate to share his thoughts on Messi’s immediate influence.

Porter’s thoughts on Messi’s instant impact

After acknowledging that Inter Miami had subbed in “the best player in the world, the greatest in the history of our sport,” Porter marveled at Messi’s first touch that set up the goal, calling it “a perfectly weighted ball behind the line.”

What’s next for Inter Miami in the MLS Playoffs?

Inter Miami capped off a historic regular season with a record-breaking 74 points after thrashing New England Revolution 6-2. Messi and his team will enter the 2024 MLS Playoffs in the first round, facing the winner of the match between CF Montréal and Atlanta United on Friday, October 25.

The opening series will be a best-of-three matchup, meaning Inter Miami must win two games against the same opponent to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The match was thrilling from the outset. New England took the lead just two minutes in, when Luca Langoni capitalized on a mistake by David Martinez and scored with a sharp shot to the near post. In the 34th minute, Dylan Borrero doubled the advantage, seizing another opportunity created by Inter Miami’s defensive lapses—this time a miscue from goalkeeper Drake Callender.

Despite their defensive errors, the Herons took control of possession and created several dangerous opportunities. With key contributions from Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, and Luis Suarez, they managed to level the score just before halftime. Suarez netted two beautiful goals, showcasing his finishing ability and helping Inter Miami get back into the game.

After the break, head coach Gerardo Martino wasted no time, waiting barely ten minutes to bring Lionel Messi onto the field. It took Messi only seconds to make an impact: in his first touch, he delivered a brilliant pass to Jordi Alba, who then assisted Benjamin Cremaschi to complete the comeback.

Another hat-trick for Messi

With Inter Miami already in the lead, Lionel Messi displayed his brilliance, netting three goals in the span of eleven minutes to seal his team’s victory. The first came from a powerful left-footed shot from outside the box, leaving goalkeeper Ivacic with no chance. Messi then received a perfect assist from Jordi Alba and calmly slotted in his second. Finally, an impressive pirouette by Luis Suarez set Messi up inside the box, where he secured the team’s sixth goal.

This marked Messi’s second consecutive hat-trick in just four days. He had delivered an outstanding performance in Argentina’s victory over Bolivia last Tuesday in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, contributing three goals and two assists.

A night of records in Miami

Saturday’s match saw Lionel Messi score his first hat-trick in Major League Soccer with Inter Miami. This feat also made him the franchise’s all-time leading scorer with 33 goals, surpassing teammate Leonardo Campana, who has 32.

But the records didn’t stop there: with their victory over the New England Revolution, Inter Miami set a new MLS regular season points record, reaching 74 points and surpassing New England’s previous mark of 73, set in the 2021 season.

Messi is expected to play, as head coach Gerardo Martino confirmed the Argentine legend will be available. “He’ll be in the squad, but we’ll decide if he starts or comes in off the bench,” Martino said on Friday.

Martino also gave insight into why Messi might not start against New England. “Saturday’s game is important because we’ve set new goals for ourselves. This was a goal we didn’t initially plan for, but now that we’re close to achieving it, we’ll go after it. Of course, our main focus is on next Friday’s playoff match,” Martino explained.

“In light of that, we’re evaluating what kind of involvement we can give to players coming back from international duty, including Leo (Messi).” Based on Martino’s comments, it seems likely that Messi will start from the bench today.

Inter Miami in great form

On top of winning the Supporters‘ Shield with an impressive 71 points from 33 games, Inter Miami is currently in top form. The team hasn’t lost since mid-August when they suffered a 3-2 defeat to Columbus Crew in the Leagues Cup. Since then, they’ve gone on a 10-game unbeaten streak, recording seven wins and three draws.

Martino likely to rotate the squad

With Martino emphasizing that the team’s primary focus is on next Friday’s MLS playoff game, it’s expected that today’s lineup against New England Revolution will feature some rotation. The possible starting XI includes:

Oscar Ustari; Tomás Avilés, Sergey Kryvtsov, Noah Allen; Julian Gressel, David Ruíz, Benjamín Cremaschi, Franco Negri; Matías Rojas, Robert Taylor; Leandro Campana.

That Revs side was coached by Bruce Arena but fell short in the MLS playoffs, losing to eventual champion NYCFC in the semifinals for MLS Cup. This season, Inter Miami has a record-setting pace, with Luis Suárez among the leading scorers in the league with 17 goals and possibly winning MLS MVP.

Lionel Messi is one of the top assisters in the league with 15 and is one game away from hitting 20 wins in the regular season.

Can Inter Miami break the regular season points total?

Inter Miami’s final four games consist of Charlotte FC, who are sixth in the East; Columbus Crew, one of the team’s biggest rivals for MLS Cup this season; Toronto FC, in the playoff zone and having another disappointing season.

Inter Miami end their season against the New England Revolution, who are in last place in the East but could potentially be playing for their regular season record come the final matchday.

[Watch New England vs Nashville SC live in the USA on Apple TV]

The stage is set for a high-stakes clash as the New England Revolution and Nashville SC vie for a spot in the next round. The Revolution hold a significant edge after their Matchday 1 victory over Mazatlan, but their advancement is far from assured. Even a loss in a penalty shootout could see them through, but there’s a scenario where they could be knocked out.

Nashville SC are well aware of the stakes and is poised to capitalize. A victory by two or more goals would see them advance on goal difference. It’s a daunting task, but Nashville are prepared to give everything in pursuit of that critical result.

When will the New England vs Nashville SC match be played?

New England will face Nashville SC in a crucial Matchday 3 showdown of the 2024 Leagues Cup group stage this Tuesday, August 6. The game is set to begin at 7:30 PM (ET).

New England vs Nashville SC: Time by State in the USA

ET: 7:30 PM
CT: 6:30 PM
MT: 5:30 PM
PT: 4:30 PM

How to watch New England vs Nashville SC in the USA

Get ready for an electrifying showdown as the New England Revolution take on Nashville SC in the 2024 Leagues Cup—a high-stakes clash you won’t want to miss. Catch all the action live on Apple TV with the MLS Season Pass.

The Herons are trying to get redemption as they failed to conquer their first big target of the year: the Concacaf Champions Cup. Monterrey eliminated them with an aggregate score of 5-2.

After that difficult moment, Inter Miami have stormed back with wins against Sporting Kansas City and Nashville SC. As a consequence, they remain in first place of the Eastern Conference with 18 points.

Their next rival is New England Revolution, one of the worst teams in the MLS with only four points in eight games. It could be a record-breaking attendance at Gillette Stadium to see the legend.

How to stop Lionel Messi?

Considering such a lopsided matchup, Caleb Porter, coach of New England Revolution, had to face an inevitable question. This was his answer when asked how to stop Lionel Messi.

“You don’t stop Messi, but you can limit his touches in key areas. Because when he’s in key areas around the box, he is lethal. He is unstoppable in some ways. We just have to do it by committee. We’re not going to man mark him. We have to do it by committee in the zones he floats everywhere. So, wherever he floats be aware and get guys around him. Make it a game where he’s not where he wants to be.”

Furthermore, as a consequence of the hype around Messi, Porter admitted there’s another star who is having a tremendous impact in his debut season at MLS.

“Everybody forgets about Luis Suarez and he is a world class player. With Alba and Busquets, they’ve got a very talented team. We know how they play and we’ll continue to improve ourselves.”

[Watch New England vs Inter Miami live in the USA on Apple TV]

It’s an intriguing matchup in the Eastern Conference. On one hand, Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami aim to maintain their position at the top of the standings, currently leading with 18 points, two ahead of their closest rivals, the New York Red Bulls.

On the other side, the New England Revolution have struggled to find form, not only in the MLS but also in the Concacaf Champions Cup, where they faced elimination. Despite facing a tough challenge in this Matchday, they are confident of securing a positive result to kickstart their improvement.

New England vs Inter Miami: Kick-Off Time in Your Country

Argentina: 8:30 PM
Australia: 10:30 AM (April 28)
Bangladesh: 5:30 AM (April 28)
Canada: 7:30 PM
France: 1:30 AM (April 28)
Germany: 1:30 AM (April 28)
India: 5:00 AM (April 28)
Indonesia: 7:30 AM (April 28)
Ireland: 12:30 AM (April 28)
Italy: 1:30 AM (April 28)
Malaysia: 7:30 AM (April 28)
Mexico: 5:30 PM
Netherlands: 1:30 AM (April 28)
Nigeria: 12:30 AM (April 28)
Portugal: 12:30 PM (April 28)
South Africa: 1:30 AM (April 28)
Spain: 1:30 AM (April 28)
UAE: 3:30 AM (April 28)
UK: 12:30 PM (April 28)
USA: 7:30 PM (ET)

New England vs Inter Miami: TV Channel and Live Streaming in Your Country

Source: Livesoccertv.com

The 2024 MLS regular season clash between New England Revolution and Inter Miami will be available for global viewing through MLS League Pass on Apple TV. Other option for USA is SiriusXM FC.