Lionel Messi made history once again by leading Inter Miami to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Crew, the defending champions of Major League Soccer (MLS), to secure the Supporters’ Shield. This trophy is awarded annually to the team with the best regular-season record.
Messi’s two goals during the match on Wednesday marked his 46th career trophy, extending his record as the male football player with the most major trophies in history. This win represents Messi’s second title with Inter Miami, following their victory in the Leagues Cup after his arrival at the club in 2023.
After the game, Messi expressed confidence in his team’s capabilities. “We knew this was a group that could fight for this trophy,” he stated.
Luis Suarez also contributed to the scoreline, and Inter Miami is now set to begin a best-of-three first-round playoff series at the end of October. A successful series would allow them to host all subsequent matches, including the Eastern Conference semifinal on November 23 or 24, the East final on November 30 or December 1, and the MLS Cup final scheduled for December 7.
Messi highlighted the importance of this opportunity, saying, “We have a nice opportunity to go down in history … and now we think about what is coming. We have a great advantage in that we play all the games at home, which was what we were looking for. I think that we are very, very strong at home.”
Inter Miami’s head coach, Gerardo “Tata” Martino, praised his team’s dominant performance, acknowledging the significance of their recent success. “December 7 is what we want,” he mentioned in reference to the MLS Cup final, adding that the current victory is also a notable achievement.
Messi’s 2024 season was impacted as he missed 15 MLS matches, primarily due to his commitments to the Argentine national team and a two-month recovery period following a severe ankle injury. Reflecting on the season, he noted, “Throughout the year, we had many, many injuries, where we couldn’t all be together … but the group was getting the most out of every tough game.”
The ultimate winner of the MLS championship will be decided through the playoffs, with Inter Miami potentially facing the Crew again. Additionally, after their recent victory, Miami is in contention for the best regular-season record in MLS history. If they win their remaining matches against Toronto and New England, they could finish with a total of 74 points, setting a new single-season record.