When Inter Miami decided to bring Jordi Alba into their squad, some might have questioned the move. After all, the Spanish left-back had already crossed the 30-year mark, which, for many, signals the beginning of the end of a player’s career. However, what we’re witnessing in Miami is nothing short of a rebirth.
Last Thursday, Alba showed he still has plenty of gas in the tank. In an electrifying match against Toronto FC, the elite defender dished out four assists, setting a new record in the Leagues Cup and making it clear that his playmaking skills are as sharp as ever. Inter Miami came out victorious with a 4-3 win, thanks largely to Alba’s brilliance. His pinpoint passes didn’t just secure the victory but also advanced the team to the next round of the competition, where they await the winner of the Columbus Crew vs. Sporting Kansas City clash.
Follow MLS Multiplex on X (Twitter).
It’s not every day that a 34-year-old redefines what’s expected of a left-back. Alba, who made his name at Barcelona alongside legends like Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets, seems to have found a new lease on life under the sunny skies of Miami.
Saying Alba was crucial in the win against Toronto FC would be an understatement. The guy was simply on fire. Three of his assists came in the first 20 minutes of the game, giving Matías Rojas, Diego Gómez, and Luis Suárez the chance to find the back of the net. And when the team needed him most, down a man after David Martínez was sent off, Alba kept his cool and his passes crisp, helping Rojas score the decisive goal in the 59th minute.
You don’t often see a left-back as the engine of a team. Typically, these positions are filled by the workhorses of soccer, players who excel more in defense than in creating plays. But Alba has never been an ordinary player. Since his glory days at Camp Nou, he’s always had this knack for attacking, for assisting, for that final pass that puts the striker in front of the goal. And that knack, it seems, hasn’t faded with time.
In fact, if you think about it, Alba’s journey is almost a metaphor for what Inter Miami is becoming. A club that, not too long ago, was seen as just another team in Major League Soccer, is now establishing itself as a true powerhouse, a force to be reckoned with. And this, in large part, is due to the arrival of these veterans with a hunger for victory, who bring not just experience but also the desire to prove they still have a lot to offer.
Alba, Messi, Suárez, and Busquets aren’t just great players; they’re natural-born winners. They know what it takes to triumph on the world’s biggest stages, and they’re bringing that mindset to Miami. It’s no coincidence that with their arrival, the team has started reaching new heights, both in MLS and in international competitions.
Sure, some might say these veterans are just "spending time" in the United States, enjoying an early retirement. But the truth is, these guys are playing top-notch soccer, and Alba’s performance in the Leagues Cup is proof of that. If he were just "going through the motions," he wouldn’t be breaking records and leading his team to victory in such an important competition.
And don’t think Alba is satisfied. In his own words, he could’ve provided even more assists in the match against Toronto FC. That shows the level of ambition and the hunger for victory that he still carries. For him, every game is a new opportunity to prove he can still make a difference, that he can still be decisive.
So, if you had any doubts about the impact these veterans could have in MLS, it’s time to rethink that. They’re not here for a vacation. They’re here to compete, to win, and to show that talent doesn’t have an expiration date. And if Jordi Alba keeps playing like he did last Thursday, we can expect big things from this Inter Miami.