…and I bet this SBOTOP writer isn’t the first person to say that!
This summer, Major League Soccer has recruited its biggest star of the century, and the world of football has shifted its gaze to the USA. Lionel Messi has transformed the competition, sparking an explosion of mania in Miami with some breathtaking performances.
Inter have already won one trophy, and even though they resumed their MLS regular season in the bottom place of the Eastern Conference, the club is now, remarkably, on the hunt for a historic treble. The Leagues Cup is in the bag, Miami is in the latter stages of the US Open Cup, and while the MLS 2023 betting odds suggest Messi needs to continue his magic to ensure David Beckham’s club makes the playoffs, there is no sign of him and his teammates failing at any hurdle.
Inter Miami won their first game of the league resumption, by the way, a 2-0 victory away to New York Red Bulls ; and Messi scored, of course, to make it 11 goals in nine appearances.
There is even talk that Argentina’s World Cup winner might pick up yet another Ballon d’Or if he continues to rip it up in The USA.
Messi is clearly loving his football again, after a frustrating stint at Paris Saint-Germain: “There were two difficult years. I had lost that feeling of enjoying playing football. My trips to the National Team were my happiest moments during that time,” he said. “I’m happy enjoying this new stage, and I’m enjoying the experience of living in this country.”
The 36-year-old has found his best form quickly, helping Tata Martino’s side to win the League Cup and scoring in his first seven games for Miami; and he is helping the Inter players around him to up their games, with striker Robert Taylor and midfielder Josef Martinez also finding their scoring boots. And Messi’s old Barcelona mates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba have also helped to lift the standards and aspirations of this highly ambitious club.
On 19th August the Herons won the League Cup under captain Messi and the following week they put Eastern Conference leaders FC Cincinnati out of the US Open Cup, and though Cincinnati did become the first team to stop the Argentine goal machine, Messi still ran the show, making two assists and converting his spot-kick in the decisive penalty shootout.
Last weekend Messi’s objective was to do something about the Herons’ MLS 2023 results and they duly beat the Red Bulls, even though the man everyone was waiting to see didn’t appear until the 60th minute of the game. Over 26,000 fans packed into the Red Bull Arena and chants of ‘We want Messi’ reverberated around the stadium during the first 45 minutes. When Messi began to warm up on the touchline, early in the second half, there was an expectant roar in the stands and the roof almost came off when he stepped onto the pitch on the hour. Fans had paid thousands of dollars for tickets to see the great man; and he didn’t disappoint as he began to pull the strings the moment he stepped onto the pitch, displaying his brilliant array of passing and making a couple of trademark mazy runs and he scored his goal, getting on the end of a cross from Benjamin Cremaschi with just two minutes of normal time remaining.
It seems that Messi did break an MLS rule after the win over New York Red Bulls. According to the US press, MLS executive president of communications Dan Courtemanche said that Messi and all other players must be available for media duties immediately after the game; but Inter’s new star, who is not a fluent English speaker, did not attend.
I suspect Heron fans, as well as the MLS soccer chiefs, are happy to see Messi do his talking on the pitch, and the Spanish-speaking star is settled in the Miami community which has a large Hispanic community. He has always been a superb ambassador for the game and any team he plays for, and I’m sure Messi will appear before the US sports reporters again before long.
Back on the pitch Messi is due to make his home MLS league debut on Wednesday when the Inter Miami entertain Nashville at the DRV PNK Stadium and there will be a sea of pink in the stands with Messi merchandise making record sales. The games are coming thick and fast with an away trip to Los Angeles FC on Saturday.
He’s the happiest he’s been for over two years in club football and Lionel Messi has turned Inter Miami from a curiosity into one of the most-watched clubs in world football.
He has made a spectacular start but Messi’s MLS story has only just begun.
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