#lionel-messi

#lionel-messi

It was Tadeo Allende, the 26-year-old Argentine only at Inter Miami for one year, on a loan from Spanish club Celta de Vigo, who scored a hat trick in the 5-1 win over New York City FC to send Inter Miami to its first MLS Cup Final. In 31 games during the regular season, Allende scored 11 goals. In the playoffs, he has scored eight.

Lionel Messi will play for another trophy. Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets clearly aren't ready to begin their retirements, either. Tadeo Allande scored three goals Alba and Busquets, a pair of longtime Messi teammates who will retire when this season ends, had the assists on his first two and Inter Miami topped New York City FC 5-1 on Saturday night for the Eastern Conference title and a berth in the MLS Cup final.

Captain Lionel Messi scored the first goal of the night, connecting with Mateo Silvetti to head the ball into the net and earn the early lead for the visiting team. Messi then assisted on the second goal by setting up Silvetti, who rocketed the ball into the lower right corner of the goal from the left side of the field.

Inter Miami's quest for the 2025 MLS Cup might have already fizzled out if it weren't for Lionel Messi, who's already scored five goals in the first playoff series alone. The Argentinian's latest exploits, which saw him score twice and assist once in Miami's 4-0 win over Nashville SC, earned him his first Team of the Week card in EA Sports FC 26 and carried Miami into the next round of the competition.

I was glad to see Messi back at the Camp Nou, but no, we didn't know he was coming. We love him. This is his home, and he knows it. I think he deserves the best farewell in history.