The iconic footballer Lionel Messi has tasted every flavour of victory in his illustrious career with Barcelona, PSG, and the Argentina national team. However, in his new chapter with Inter Miami, he faces an unprecedented challenge, steering a bottom-tier team to the top – a critique often levelled at him in comparisons with Diego Maradona. Now, as captain of Inter Miami, Messi gets his first shot at winning the Leagues Cup, a tournament that sees teams from the MLS and Liga MX battle it out.
Messi’s Road to Making History in Miami
Inter Miami’s victories against Cruz Azul and Atlanta United have propelled them to the Round of 16 in the Leagues Cup. Their journey forward includes formidable adversaries like LAFC and Pachuca. In the Round of 32, however, Inter Miami will face either Orlando City or Santos Laguna, with the latter appearing as a more feasible rival. On July 29th, Messi’s first play-off opponent since landing in the US will be decided.
Lifting the Leagues Cup with Inter Miami would etch Messi into the record books as the first MLS club player to achieve this feat, breaking Mexico’s monopoly. Additionally, it would signify a significant milestone for the recently established Inter Miami, led by David Beckham since 2018. Their closest brush with a title was a sixth-place finish in the last MLS season.
But Messi’s path to glory isn’t without hurdles. Currently, Inter Miami is at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, and bridging the 12-point gap between them and D.C. United, the playoffs’ cut-off, will not be a walk in the park. However, a format change in the MLS competition could work in Inter Miami’s favour.
This season, the top two finishers from each conference aren’t guaranteed a spot in the semi-finals, offering Inter Miami a chance to secure a place in the playoffs by gunning for the ninth position. Of their remaining 12 games, only one is against a top-tier team, the match against Cincinnati, paving a relatively easier but challenging route for Messi and his squad. As Messi sets sail on this journey, he can etch a new chapter in football history, leading from the bottom to the top.
