After helping Inter Miami win the MLS Supporters' Shield during his first full season with the Herons, Lionel Messi and his team have set their sights on an elusive record. Messi recently scored a brace against the Columbus Crew which confirmed Inter Miami's MLS Supporters' Shield crown.
It has been a magnificent turnaround for Messi and his men, who finished in the bottom half of the MLS Eastern Conference last year. However, this year in 2024, the Herons have been simply unstoppable. Under Gerardo Tata Martino, the newly formed MLS side are chasing a historic feat.
With just one game remaining in their regular season matches before the MLS playoffs get underway, Inter Miami can surpass the New England Revolution's record for most points in a single season. New England Revolution set the MLS record of 73 points, the highest in a single season back in 2021.
Messi and Miami who are currently on 71 points, would need a victory against New England in their final regular season clash to surpass their historic feat. Only a win against the Revs' will help the Herons' create a new record, therefore, New England will look to not only beat Miami and stop them from picking all three points, if the Herons do so, they will also create a single-season record for most points.
"I think we'd all be lying if we said it doesn't matter," Miami midfielder Julian Gressel told MLSsoccer.com after Miami's victory over the Crew.
"Now we have something to play for in front of our home fans. It's not just a game. We have something to play for that would be a nice way to finish the year off with that record-setting season," he added.
Only four MLS teams have previously surpassed the elusive 70-points mark. New England (2021), LAFC (2019) and New York Red Bulls (2018) were the only other teams in the club. Along the way, Inter Miami have achieved numerous other records as well, they're 10 games unbeaten and have tied CF Montréal (2022) for the most road wins (11) in a single season after the post-shootout era.
The Herons will be counting on their legendary captain, Lionel Messi to get them through their Round One Best-of-3 Series matches against the Eastern Conference Wild Card winner. Their target would be to win the MLS Cup on December 7.