Messi's outstanding performance lead Inter Miami to their second club trophy

What a game we witnessed yesterday. Five goals, two penalties, and a match that will become the best game of 2024 in the MLS. But I'm not here to discuss the Heron's victory. I'm here to talk about the outstanding level of Lionel Andres Messi, the Heron's captain. Being involved in two of the three goals, Messi shut down every possible critic about his health.

Why do I talk about his health? Yesterday, during the usual morning practice of Inter Miami, one of the assistant coaches said in the meeting with the reporters that Messi would start the game but would not be playing at 100%. After this statement, social media exploded. The intrigue that Messi could have a few minutes shook the internet.

Long story short, this didn't happen. Messi played all 100 minutes of the game against Columbus Crew.

How did Messi perform against the Crew?

The first minutes of the game, Messi didn't touch the ball. Those are facts. Columbus dominated the field, and both Suarez and Messi didn't get near the ball. After the out-ruled goal of Cucho Hernandez, Messi flipped the switch inside him and realized that if Inter wanted to win the game, he must look for the ball.

That's where Inter Miami changed and started progressing a lot faster and with more danger into the Crew's goal. Messi received the sphere, and from there, he orchestrated the Heron's attack. With two/three crucial associations with Suarez and Gomez, Inter got their first shot.

Once Messi flipped the switch, you know it was game over for Columbus, and that happened a few minutes later. A perfect long ball from Jordi Alba found a wide-open Lionel Messi. The Argentinian controlled and scored the first goal of the game.

The most impressive thing about his performance is the second goal he scored. A beautiful free kick that went close enough to the post to prevent the goalkeeper from saving it. A goal like the old times when he played for FC Barcelona. A true masterpiece.

Columbus Crew players couldn't find him on the field, and when they did, Messi erased them with a dribble. He was unstoppable

When Messi is on the field, Miami strikes fear into their rivals. The technique and awareness of the captain make him a valuable asset. Considering that Messi performs at his best within the formation used by Tata Martino, this setup allows the #10 to avoid defensive duties and instead concentrate on orchestrating the team's offensive plays.

Nothing else to say about the GOAT. Yesterday he was Inter Miami's saviour.