The Daily Heron: Messi golazo, Cremaschi call-up, Ulloa’s leadership and Ronaldo on Messi rivalry

Tell us the truth, fans, should we just change this irregular regular feature’s name to “The Daily Messi”? Enh, it’s probably taken. We will, for now and forever, remain The Daily Heron, a roundup of news about — allegedly — Club Internacional de Futbol Miami. Let’s get to it:

Argentina and Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi celebrates after his free kick beat Ecuador on Thursday in a World Cup qualifier.
Argentina and Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi celebrates after his free kick beat Ecuador on Thursday in a World Cup qualifier. | Daniel Jayo/GettyImages
3 of 5

Victor Ulloa remains the Herons’ unheralded leader

Michelle Kauffman, the Miami Herald’s soccer writer, had a nice piece Wednesday on defensive midfielder Victor Ulloa, one of the remaining original Herons. He played in Inter Miami’s first-ever match against Los Angeles FC in 2020 and in its statement 3-1 win against defending champion LAFC on Sunday.

Inter Miami CF midfielder Victor Ulloa
Inter Miami CF midfielder Victor Ulloa | Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Ulloa is not a star. He plays sparingly, usually from the bench. I’ve never rated Ulloa highly, but apparently the organization does. The 31-year-old likely will see major minutes against Sporting KC tomorrow with so many Inter Miami players away on international duty.

Read Kauffman’s story here.