Lionel Messi left no doubt on Decision Day.
The Argentine icon scored a hat trick in a 5-2 victory over Nashville on Saturday night to wrap up Major League Soccer’s Golden Boot award with 29 goals this season.
Inter Miami finished third in the Eastern Conference standings and will again face sixth-seeded Nashville starting Friday in the best-of-three opening round of the MLS Cup playoffs.
Saturday was the league’s traditional Decision Day, the final day of the regular season when the two conferences each played games simultaneously with playoff spots and seeding on the line.
“The truth is that Leo has been exceptional, as he usually is,” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said after the game. “I think if anyone had doubts about his regular season, he has cleared them all. He will sure