Inter Miami kicks off the 2025 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs this Friday riding a wave of confidence. The team closed out the regular season with a 5–2 road win over Nashville SC in a match where Lionel Messi scored a hat trick and pretty much dictated the pace from start to finish. That victory pushed the club to third place in the Eastern Conference, secured home-field advantage for the opening game of the best-of-three series, and reinforced the image of a team arriving in the postseason in top form and with impressive numbers.
Inter Miami piles up records and confidence
The five goals scored in the final round lifted the team’s tally to 81 this year, making it just the third side in MLS history to hit at least 80 goals in a single regular season. The attack has been Miami’s biggest weapon all year, with 63 goals coming from forwards and attacking midfielders. Messi led the way with 29 goals, winning the league’s Golden Boot, followed by Tadeo Allende with 11, Luis Suárez with 10 and Telasco Segovia with eight. Fafa Picault and Allen Obando also added key contributions.
Beyond the goals, Messi finished as the league’s assist leader with 19, matching a record first set by Sebastian Giovinco in 2015. He’s also the only player in MLS history to surpass the 36-goal mark in multiple seasons. In October alone, he was involved in ten goals in just three matches, a run that earned him MLS Player of the Month. In practical terms, it means the Argentine heads into the playoffs in full playoff mode, leading an attack that’s already proven it can overwhelm any defense.
Miami finished the regular season with 19 wins, seven losses and eight draws, totaling 65 points and locking in third place in the East. That position secured the chance to start the series at Chase Stadium, where the team has built a strong record against Nashville: five wins, two draws and just one loss in eight meetings. They also come into the game on a nine-match unbeaten run in the matchup, with seven wins and two draws.
Nashville looks to break a recent slump
Nashville enters the playoffs after finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference with 54 points and a strong home record. The team won 11 matches at GEODIS Park, setting a club record and fueling its 16-win season. The issue comes on the road. Nashville won just five of 17 away games and hasn’t picked up a win in Fort Lauderdale since May 2023.
Sam Surridge led the team in scoring with 24 goals, while Hany Mukhtar topped the assist chart with 12. It’s a group loaded with experience, and that’s exactly what they’ll rely on to try to pull off an upset. If they manage to win in Florida, they’ll get a chance to close the series at home, where they’ve been strong all year. But it won’t be easy.
The last meeting between these two sides happened less than a week ago at GEODIS Park and ended in a rout for Inter Miami. To flip the script, Nashville will have to contain an attack that’s operating at peak confidence and form. It’s a high-pressure situation, but also an opportunity: a road win would completely shift the weight of the series.