Messi's Inter Miami wants to break MLS records in 2024

The 2024 season of Major League Soccer has been historic for Inter Miami, especially after the arrival of Lionel Messi, who absolutely transformed the club. The team which used to struggle in any competition and wasn't even considered among the best teams of the league is now about to break all records and reach unimaginable milestones. With Messi and then Luis Suárez, Inter Miami went from underdog to first in class, reaching levels never seen before.

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Messi Impact: Before and After

Needless to say, any mention of this Inter Miami rise would be incomplete without one Lionel Messi. The Argentine genius came in mid-season into what was seemingly a lost season and turned it around in record time. Pre-Messi, Inter Miami was stuck in the mid-to-lower standings. In fact, this team barely posed a threat to the MLS powerhouses due to an ugly campaign with mediocre results. They were not feared, but opposing teams viewed them as an easy opportunity for gaining points.

That was before Messi. But the very first tournament they went into with Messi on board, Inter Miami won, and that was just the beginning. Dynamic soccer started playing itself out-great dominance in the games, with strong attack and creative midfield; Messi was leading it all. The guys who were perceived just as "another one" before turned into a real force, and the stats lie not.

Impressive Data: Inter Miami scored 72 goals and had 47 against them; this really is an impressive attacking display. With 20 victories, 8 draws, and only 4 defeats, the team is at once first for attack efficiency and among the best for defense solidity. Messi and Suárez make their presence felt in every match. Messi has already scored 17 in 17 matches, despite missing some games because of injury, plus leading the team with 15 assists. Meanwhile, another star in Suárez has also managed to score 18 goals in 25 games.

It is a duo that has already gone down in history in Barcelona and are now shining brightly in Miami. Messi and Suarez have jointly scored 35 goals, nearly half of Inter Miami's goals this season. The most striking thing is that even during those periods when Messi suffered from his different kinds of injuries, his presence in the game couldn't go unnoticed, whether due to assists or by being simply present on the pitch.

Comparing to MLS Giants

In the bigger picture, if one looks at MLS history, then Inter Miami's accomplishments in 2024 already place them among the league's elite. They sit just five points back from matching the league's all-time mark, which was set by the New England Revolution in 2021 with 73 points. Let us remember that Inter Miami still have games to play, and all indications are they'll match or eclipse this record.

First of all, Inter Miami already compares to the other Supporters' Shield champions, meaning the team that is granted more points from the regular season. In the 2021 season, New England Revolution was able to score 65 goals, allowed 41, and had 22 wins in the process. Probably one of the biggest seasons by any team in recent MLS history, bolstered by leading players like Adam Buksa, Carles Gil, and Gustavo Bou. But Inter Miami's 2024 numbers are already superior in terms of goals scored, while defensively they are not the best in the league, albeit at a similar level.

Another example is Los Angeles FC, champions in 2019 with 72 points and a solid campaign. Even that record is under threat, with Inter Miami at the cusp of equalling or surpassing it.

The New DNA of Inter Miami

What impresses most about this Inter Miami season is the complete transformation of the team. Nobody thought they could stand shoulder to shoulder with the best of MLS and certainly didn't think they had any right to be considered favorites for the Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup. In the completely changed philosophy, emphasizing a far more aggressive style, full utilization of Messi and Suárez is visible.

The partnership between these two legends brought forth another dynamic to this team. Suárez, while a natural goal scorer, has contributed much to the team's build-up play, giving way for Messi to create those chances or finish them off. Rarely is there a team that assembles so much technical quality into one MLS roster; all that chemistry is making the difference.