Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano revealed Lionel Messi had taken time out from training with a back complaint during the week before scoring twice in the Herons’ 3-1 home win over Nashville in the 2025 MLS playoffs.
GOOOOL! Asistencia de Lucho ➡️ Cabezazo de Leoooo ⚽️💥 pic.twitter.com/LuVc9vIV79
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) October 25, 2025
Golden boot winner Messi, who signed a new contract until the end of the 2028 season this week, headed in Luis Suarez’s cross to open the scoring in the 19th minute of the best-of-three tie and slotted them 3-0 in front in the 96th minute after goalkeeper Joe Willis spilled a routine delivery.
LEOOO 🔥 pic.twitter.com/j5YWP4rceD
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) October 25, 2025
“We’ve won the first game, but this is just the beginning and now it’s time to rest well and start preparing for Saturday’s [return] match, which will also be a very tough game because our opponents have great players who can hurt you,” said Mascherano.
Inter Miami vs Nashville: Messi shines in MLS playoffs
Tadeo Allende headed in Ian Fray’s cross for the second goal in the 62nd minute, with Hany Mukhtar’s spectacular free-kick during second-half added time only a consolation for Nashville.
ALLENDE WITH THE STRIKE 💥⚽️ pic.twitter.com/AaNfv4JYWY
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) October 25, 2025
Messi and his teammates will be wary of a repeat of their shock exit at the same stage last season, when they were ranked first as the Supporters’ Shield winners but were knocked out by ninth-ranked Atlanta United despite winning the opening match between the teams.
Miami finished third in the Eastern Conference, while Nashville were sixth. The winners of the tie will meet Cincinnati or Columbus Crew in the semi-finals.
🫡 https://t.co/qXHBRNG5bR pic.twitter.com/rGN2G7sXvd
— Nashville SC (@NashvilleSC) October 25, 2025
Lionel Messi goals, stats
Messi finished on 29 goals for the regular season, with only San Diego’s Anders Dreyer matching the Argentina icon’s tally of 19 assists.
Nashville’s nearest rivals to the 38-year-old were English forward Sam Surridge and German midfielder Mukhtar, who were responsible for a combined 40 goals during the regular season.
Miami won 5-2 at Nashville on the final day of the regular season on October 18, including a Messi hat-trick.
MESSI HAT TRICK 🎩🎩🎩 pic.twitter.com/8UUpchR956
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 19, 2025
2025 playoffs: MLS schedule, dates, fixtures
The post-season competition runs until December 6 2025. The top nine teams from the Eastern Conference and Western Conference contest the matches, which started with one-off Wild Card matches in each division between the eighth and ninth-placed teams.
The best-of-three first round matches are followed by one-off semi-finals and finals in each conference and the single MLS Cup match between the winners of each final.
The teams finishing higher play at home or play the first and, if required, third matches at home in the best-of-three fixtures.
The highest-ranked finalist in the overall Supporters’ Shield table will host the MLS Cup, which will take place on December 6 at a time to be confirmed.
The full schedule can be found on the MLS website.
MLS playoffs 2025 standings
Eastern Conference
- Philadelphia Union
- Cincinnati
- Inter Miami
- Charlotte
- New York City
- Nashville
- Columbus
- Chicago
- Orlando
Western Conference
- San Diego
- Vancouver
- Los Angeles
- Minnesota
- Seattle
- Austin
- Dallas
- Portland
- Real Salt Lake
MLS Cup 2025: Lionel Messi, Inter Miami fixtures
The kindest-looking run for Miami by ranking could pit them against Columbus in the semifinals and eighth-placed Orlando in the conference final, although they lost by three goals home and away to City in the MLS before beating them 3-1 at home in the Leagues Cup semifinals.
How to watch Nashville vs Inter Miami: Live stream, TV channel
Live coverage of the MLS playoffs is available through the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+.
In the US, a subscription costs $14.99 a month or $69 a season. Existing Apple TV+ subscribers pay $12.99 per month or $59 a season.
MLS Cup winners by year
- 2024: LA Galaxy 2-1 New York Red Bulls
- 2023: Columbus 2-1 LAFC
- 2022: LAFC 3-3 Philadelphia Union (3-0 pen)
- 2021: Portland 1-1 New York City (4-2 pen)
- 2020: Columbus 3-0 Seattle
- 2019: Seattle 3-1 Toronto
- 2018: Atlanta 2-0 Portland
- 2017: Toronto 2-0 Seattle
- 2016: Seattle 0-0 Toronto (5-4 pen)
- 2015: Portland 2-1 Columbus
- 2014: LA Galaxy 2-1 New England Revolution (AET)
- 2013: Sporting Kansas City 1-1 Real Salt Lake (7-6 pen)
- 2012: LA Galaxy 3-1 Houston Dynamo
- 2011: LA Galaxy 1-0 Houston
- 2010: Colorado Rapids 2-1 Dallas (AET)
- 2009: Real Salt Lake 1-1 LA Galaxy (5-4 pen)
- 2008: Columbus 3-1 New York Red Bulls
- 2007: Houston 2-1 New England
- 2006: Houston 1-1 New England (4-3 pen)
- 2005: LA Galaxy 1-0 New England (AET)
- 2004: DC United 3-2 Kansas City Wizards
- 2003: San Jose Earthquakes 4-2 Chicago
- 2002: LA Galaxy 1-0 New England (AET)
- 2001: San Jose 2-1 LA Galaxy (AET)
- 2000: Kansas City Wizards 1-0 Chicago
- 1999: DC 2-0 LA Galaxy
- 1998: Chicago 2-0 DC
- 1997: DC 2-1 Colorado
- 1996: DC 3-2 LA Galaxy (AET)
