Inter Miami’s resounding 5-1 victory over New York City FC on Saturday, November 30, was historic for several reasons, most notably Lionel Messi setting a landmark that may stand for generations.
Although
the Argentine icon did not score in the Eastern Conference final, he delivered his 405th career assist — the highest total ever recorded by any footballer in history.
WATCH:
Messi dishes, Silvetti finishes. A goal made in Rosario. 🇦🇷@InterMiamiCF // Audi MLS Cup Playoffs pic.twitter.com/MkXTm0LTmY
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) November 30, 2025
The commanding win at Chase Stadium crowned Inter Miami as Eastern Conference champions and secured the club’s third major trophy while booking their place in the MLS Cup for the first time. The night belonged to Tadeo Allende, who produced a scintillating hat-trick to earn Icon of the Match honours. Goals from Mateo Silvetti and Telasco Segovia added gloss to the scoreline and underlined Miami’s dominance.
How Inter Miami Beat New York City FC?
Inter Miami opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Allende latched onto a delicate pass from Sergio Busquets before firing low past goalkeeper Matt Freese. The Herons doubled their lead within ten minutes, with Jordi Alba providing a trademark curling cross that Allende expertly redirected with a deft header. However, NYCFC briefly revived their hopes through Justin Haak, who powered in a header from a Maxi Moralez delivery in the 37th minute, reducing the deficit before halftime.
New York pushed for an equaliser after the break and came agonisingly close in the 66th minute, only for Rocco Ríos Novo to deny Julián Fernández with a superb diving save. Miami immediately punished the miss, as Alba slipped a precise pass to Silvetti, who restored a two-goal cushion. Segovia made it 4-1 in the 83rd minute, exchanging passes with Alba in a slick move before calmly finishing past Freese. Allende then completed his hat-trick in the closing moments, sealing a resounding 5-1 triumph.
With the five-goal outburst, Inter Miami reached 98 goals across regular-season and postseason fixtures in 2025 — the highest scoring tally in a single MLS season. The team’s relentless schedule continues as they prepare to host the MLS Cup final in December against either the Vancouver Whitecaps or San Diego FC. Remarkably, that match will be Miami’s 58th across all competitions this year, the most ever played by an MLS club in a single season.
(With inputs from Agencies)
