Lionel Messi's continued scoring for Inter Miami shows his class, but also shows the difference in level of North American football.
The Messi fever in the US shows no signs of abating after the Argentine captain scored a 33-meter wonder goal to help Inter Miami defeat Philadelphia Union 4-1 in the League Cup semi-finals. In his first six games at his new club, Messi has been unfailingly consistent: scoring nine goals and assisting one.
The question is, how can a new arrival adapt so quickly? Is Messi still at the top level to play at the age of 36, or are defenders in North America too weak to stop the former Barca and PSG striker?
Messi celebrates with his teammates after scoring a superb free-kick in his debut match for Inter Miami. Photo: AP
According to The Athletic, the first reason is that the Leagues Cup is not a tournament with high professional quality . Launched in 2019, this is the first year the tournament brings together all 47 clubs from the US Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Mexican championship - Liga MX. The Leagues Cup was born with the purpose of exploiting the number of Mexican football fans in the US - about 37 million people, who still follow Liga MX teams, and the decades-long history of confrontation between the football of these two neighboring countries.
However, the format and technical issues such as refereeing, VAR or organization of the Leagues Cup are often criticized. For example, the organizers of this tournament stipulate that if the two teams are tied after 90 minutes in the group stage, they will take a penalty shootout. The winning team will get an extra point.
In the round of 16, Mexican powerhouse Club America were eliminated by Messi's final opponents Nashville SC. However, controversy erupted in the penalty shootout, as Club America thought they had won 5-4. But after they celebrated, VAR intervened, determining that goalkeeper Luis Malagon had stepped forward to block the decisive penalty. The shootout then resumed, with Nashville SC winning the match.
In another round of 16 match, CF Monterrey defeated Liga MX rivals Tigres UNAL thanks to a controversial penalty in the 90th minute. After the match, Leagues Cup organizers announced that the semifinal between Monterrey and Los Angeles FC had been moved up a day, to August 12. Monterrey CEO Jose Antonio Noriega criticized this, saying that his team was being made to travel too far in such a short time.
Incidents like Monterey have shown that the Leagues Cup is not fair. In fact, this tournament is not popular and is usually held in the summer, when fans are more interested in the tours of the US of top European clubs. However, the appearance of Messi has changed everything. The influence of the Argentine superstar could create the impetus for the Leagues Cup to become more professional in the future.
A big reason why attacking players like Messi benefit is the salary cap on MLS teams . In the 2023 season, the salary cap for MLS teams is $5.21 million, and the maximum salary that can be paid to a player is $651,250.
However, since David Beckham moved to the US in 2007, MLS has approved a series of regulations that allow owners to invest more to upgrade their squads. Notably, the regulation on designated players is the most notable. Accordingly, an MLS club can recruit a maximum of three players whose remuneration is outside the league's control, meaning they can pay these three players higher salaries and transfer fees than the cap.
Because of salary caps, MLS clubs reserve three spots for attacking players, who are often more valuable to market. According to estimates from Capology , MLS forwards earn 150% more than defenders, compared to 31% in the Premier League.
Messi's level is different from other defenders in MLS. Photo: AP
Therefore, the gap between the level of strikers and defenders in MLS is huge . With Messi, this gap is even greater. After Inter Miami defeated FC Dallas 5-3 in a penalty shootout, a match in which Messi scored two goals and caused his opponent to score an own goal, former US international Taylor Twellman commented that Messi "scares opponents like seeing a ghost". This comment is not without basis. Because most defenders in MLS probably never imagined facing a player of Messi's caliber.
The final, and perhaps most important, reason is Messi's form and class . The 36-year-old striker scored 20 goals and provided 20 assists for PSG in the 2022-23 season after 39 appearances in Ligue 1 and the Champions League. At the 2022 World Cup, Messi scored seven goals and provided three assists to lead Argentina to the championship. He was awarded the Golden Ball of the World Cup.
Despite winning every title in his career, Messi still turned down a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia to go to the US to conquer a new challenge. After losing to Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup semi-finals on August 15, Philadelphia Unidon coach Jim Curtin admitted that he was surprised that a player like Messi still maintained his motivation to play. "He still goes out there like any other player and continues to shine when he doesn't need to do so to prove his ability," Curtin said.
Of Messi's nine goals for Miami, two were free-kicks, a testament to his individuality. His goal against Philadelphia also brought back memories of the 36-year-old's peak, when he dribbled past his opponents and fired a 35-yard strike that left goalkeeper Andre Blake helpless. Blake has won the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award three times in 2016, 2020 and 2022.
Messi was like a fish in water when he reunited with Alba and Busquets in Miami. Photo: AP
Besides Messi, Inter Miami reserved the remaining two designated spots to recruit Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets. The reunion of two former teammates at Barca also contributed to helping the Argentine superstar excel in his new shirt. Besides, Alba and Busquets also help Miami's squad to be more balanced.
On August 19, Messi and his teammates will play in the Leagues Cup final in Nashville. Geodis Park, which has a capacity of 30,000, is expected to be packed. Ticket prices have skyrocketed, to a minimum of $484, more than six times the price of tickets for last season's Champions League final at Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Türkiye.
Messi's appeal has also prompted the organizers of the Copa Libertadores, the top tournament for South American clubs, to consider inviting Inter Miami to compete in 2024. No North American club has ever participated in this tournament before.
Quang Huy (according to The Athletic )
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