Nashville wins the MLS Supporters' Shield for the first time in club history

Nashville claims the regular-season trophy

Nashville SC beat CF Montreal 2-0 and won the Supporters' Shield for the first time in club history — the annual trophy awarded to the team with the best record in the MLS regular season. Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar scored the goals, and the team secured first place in the Eastern Conference and the top seed heading into the playoffs. According to AFP, Nashville has collected 71 points in 31 matches and leads second-placed Inter Miami by 16 points.

The coach's reaction and playoff prospects

Nashville head coach B.J. Callaghan said after the victory that the team had been targeting big results as early as January, and that the trophy symbolizes its work throughout the season and its consistency. Winning the regular season gives Nashville home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, including the MLS Cup final, which will take place on December 18.

Miami stumbles

Inter Miami, Lionel Messi's club, lost 2-0 to the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. Messi came on as a second-half substitute but could not help the Florida club get back into the game; he was not in the starting lineup after a midweek trip to Spain, where he received a humanitarian award, AFP reports.

What it means

Saturday's results have effectively settled the picture heading into the playoffs: as Supporters' Shield winners, Nashville will have home field in every match up to the final on December 18, which under league rules is a significant advantage. For Inter Miami, the defeat means that even with Messi in the squad, the team will finish the regular season in second place in the Eastern Conference, 16 points behind the leader. The final standings and the playoff bracket will be fully known once the remaining regular-season matches are completed.