Inter Miami couldn’t have closed out the 2024 MLS regular season in more spectacular fashion, thanks to another jaw-dropping display from Lionel Messi. This time, it took only 34 seconds for Messi to make an impact, which left Caleb Porter, head coach of New England Revolution, in awe as Messi netted a hat-trick.
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.
Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami celebrates with Jordi Alba #18 after scoring his second goal during the second half against the New England Revolution. Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
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.
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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.
