Messi transforms Inter Miami and solidifies his spot as the most titled player ever

History has been recording the 2024 MLS season with golden ink, and the main character of this story will no doubt be Lionel Messi. Ever since his arrival at Inter Miami, the Argentine star showed the world that his magic was neither confined nor limited to Europe, as he has transformed the club into a true powerhouse in the MLS. Having already sealed the 2024 Supporters' Shield, Messi and Inter Miami are bound to reach dizzying heights and break unimaginable records.

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Messi's Immediate Impact

When Lionel Messi arrived at Inter Miami, the team wasn't much more than just another name in the MLS and far from the top. Messi came to change that, and within only a few games, he showed it. His debut could not have gone much better: a perfect free kick deep in stoppage against Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup to start the new era.

And what a beginning that was! Inter Miami didn't just win the 2023 Leagues Cup, they dominated it from first to last. Messi was the main conductor of that run, scoring 10 goals and delivering 4 assists in just 7 matches. A performance which once more proved that, even at 36, the Argentine is a force of nature capable of changing the entire course of a club.

Numbers That Speak for Themselves

To date, he has accrued some dizzying numbers: 17 goals and 15 assists in just 17 matches. The bottom line is that more than two-thirds of Inter Miami's goals are contributed directly by Messi, an outrageous stat for any player, let alone someone who joined midseason. And the team results speak to that.

Inter Miami won the 2024 Supporters' Shield, finishing out the regular MLS season as the best with 68 points, with two games remaining to play. The expectation now is that the team may match or even pass the New England Revolution's record of 73 points set in 2021. And, should you think that is already impressive, keep in mind that Inter Miami also clinched home-field advantage throughout the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Inter Miami's Transformation

Before Messi's arrival, Inter Miami was just another team in the MLS, with little relevance. Everything changed when the Argentine superstar landed in Florida. His presence brought not only technical brilliance but a winning mentality that infected the entire club. Players around him started performing better out of nowhere. This transformation also had to do with Luis Suárez's arrival, with the duo which once ruled Europe now taking over American soccer.

The duo of Messi and Suárez saw Inter Miami build an attack that was lethal enough to send opponents into panic. So far, the team has scored 72 goals and conceded just 47. These numbers place them among the best attacks in recent MLS history, with Inter Miami easily fitting in as a true powerhouse.

Messi, the Record Breaker

After getting used to breaking records in Europe, Lionel Messi now seems determined to bring that habit across the ocean to the United States. Throughout his career, between clubs and national teams, the Argentine won a total of 46 titles, turning him into the most decorated player in soccer history. That number could balloon even bigger depending on what happens in the final stretch of the MLS season.

What makes Messi so special is not just all those titles he has collected, but how he still makes an impact on every team he plays for. Be it Barcelona, with whom he won as many as 35 titles, then doing the same with his stint at PSG, now with Inter Miami, Messi turns teams into winning machines. And now, in Major League Soccer, he's doing the same- barriers breaking, raising the level of competitiveness.

The Bright Future of Inter Miami

What should we look forward to from Inter Miami? Well, if the performance on the field is anything to go by, then this team has only just started on its journey to the pinnacle of the MLS. There's still plenty in the tank for Messi to keep leading this team, and considering the kind of chemistry developed with players such as Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets, Inter Miami is capable of dominating the league for several years to come.

Besides, the team's capability of withstanding pressuring and growing into decisive moments-as we have seen in the Leagues Cup and now in the MLS-clearly tells us that this team is not a passing trend but a new giant in American soccer.