Nobody can deny that Lionel Messi has raised Inter Miami to a new level in terms of sport. On Wednesday night (CEST) the 36-year-old top newcomer scored in his sixth game and thus led Inter to three premieres at once.
Premiere I: With the 4-1 away win at the Philadelphia Union, the franchise reached the final of the Leagues Cup, which has been held since 2019, a competition in which the clubs from the MLS compete with those of the Liga MX, Mexico’s highest league. Messi made it 2-0 with a low shot from around 25 yards out and increased his Leagues Cup goals to a whopping nine goals, making him the leader. Jordi Alba, another summer signing and former FC Barcelona professional, marked the 3-0 half-time score for Miami.
Inter international for the first time
Premiere II: Regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s final against MLS rivals Nashville SC, Inter’s win has already qualified them for the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the European equivalent of the Champions League for clubs from North, Central America and the Caribbean. The winner of the competition also gets to take part in the Club World Cup. Inter will be represented in an international competition for the first time in 2024. Nashville, who beat CF Monterrey of Mexico 2-0 in their Leagues Cup semifinals, will also be there.
Premier III: For the first time in its young franchise history, Inter managed six wins in a row – it’s exactly the six games in which Messi was involved. The Beckham club had only won one of the ten previous games. However, Messi is still waiting for his MLS debut, so far he has only experienced Leagues Cup matches. At the end of August it should be time against the New York Red Bulls – then Inter wants to leave the last place in the Eastern Conference. Before that, the semi-finals of the US Open against FC Cincinnati are on the program.
