Lionel Messi (36, Inter Miami) is not a place suitable for the weight class. The history of the US Major League Soccer (MLS) as well as Inter Miami is already being rewritten.
Messi led the last-place team to the quarterfinals of the cup competition. He saved Inter Miami from the brink of defeat by scoring two goals in the Round of 16 of the 2023 Leagues Cup in North and Central America against FC Dallas held on the 7th. In the penalty shootout that followed, he played as the number 1 kicker and calmly succeeded, contributing to advancing to the quarterfinals.
Inter Miami is the weakest team in MLS. In the Eastern Conference of the regular season this season, they only had 5 wins (3 draws and 14 losses) until the 22nd round. Absolutely the lowest among 15 teams. Even including the Western Conference, the number of points won this year is the lowest.
Owner David Beckham moved to escape the bottom. After demonstrating his ability to recruit Messi, he completely transformed. Inter Miami, which joined Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba after the signing of Messi, began to take off. Of course, the key is the mesh. Messi is immediately appointed captain and is demonstrating leadership.
He changed Inter Miami with his skills. Messi is scoring goals in four consecutive matches in an Inter Miami uniform. On the 22nd of last month, Messi, who made his debut match against Inter Miami through Cruz Azul, scored the winning goal with a free kick in extra time in the second half.
Messi, who reported his debut goal in his debut game, performed a one-man show with two goals and one assist in the match against Atlanta United four days later. Even after winning the tournament, Messi’s toes are fierce. He scored multiple goals against Orlando City in the round of 32, and added two goals against Dallas as well.
The round of 16 with Dallas was a drama. Messi took the lead with the opening goal in the 6th minute of the first half, but Inter Miami’s defense was a problem. Inter Miami, who failed to keep Messi’s goal, conceded three goals. Benjamin Kremaski’s pursuit goal was overshadowed by an own goal, making it 2-4.
5 minutes left. Messi flashed. In the 40th minute of the second half, he scored a dramatic equalizer with a free kick from a distance. No matter how accurate the free kick is, the opponent lost their will to fight at the god-like appearance of football, which leads to a goal at the last chance.
In the penalty shootout that went without overtime, Messi took the lead as the number one kicker. Inter Miami, with all other players scoring goals thanks to Messi’s success, defeated Dallas and advanced to the quarterfinals. Looking at MLS results alone, Inter Miami, which was likely to be eliminated in the group stage, is now being mentioned as a candidate for the championship.
It is only because of Messi’s existence. Messi exploded 7 goals in 4 matches wearing an Inter Miami uniform. It is the most goals scored by the Inter Miami team this season. Previously, Josef Martinez was the main shooter with 7 goals in 28 games, but Messi became the team’s top scorer this season in just 4 games.스포츠토토
He has already entered the rankings for the most goals in the club’s history. Since Inter Miami is a new team founded in 2018, there has not been a great history. Yes, Messi is ranked 4th in the club’s career with 7 goals. The all-time leader is Gonzalo Higuain, who retired from Inter Miami with 29 goals. At Messi’s current pace, it’s a gap that can be changed enough this year.