Inter Miami didn’t just beat Seattle 3 – 1 on a sticky Fort Lauderdale night they exorcised the ghost of that spicy Leagues Cup final from two weeks ago.
Messi fed Alba, Alba fed Messi, and the crowd at Chase Stadium buzzed like it was May in Madrid. Javier Mascherano nailed the mood: “It was important to regain positive feelings.” Too right.
The context makes it cooler. Six players on the bench. Two academy kids. Mateo Silvetti fresh off the plane.
Suarez suspended after his Leagues Cup antics, Tomas Aviles out with a red from Charlotte. And still: three points, revenge, swagger.
Table math? Fifth in the East on 49 points, eight off Philly with three games in hand. Supporters’ Shield is possible, sure. But let’s be real the only prize that moves the needle in Miami is MLS Cup.
That’s the trophy fans remember, the one that minted legacies for ATL in 2018 and LAFC in 2022, and the one Messi’s aura basically demands.
Messi changes gravity. Since he landed, Apple TV Season Pass subs soared, league sponsorships jumped, Arrowhead pulled 72,610 for a road day in KC, and Miami’s valuation trails only LAFC.
Miami Freedom Park opens next year and Jorge Mas has already dreamed out loud about the No. 10 cutting the ribbon. No extension yet but imagine walking into a new home as reigning champions. Goosebumps.
This team’s résumé already shouts: Shield points record in 2024, Club World Cup round of 16, and a gritty 2–1 over Porto. But playoffs are a different sport.
Last year’s first-round exit still stings; this year’s run will be defined by control and discipline. Mascherano coaches like he played aggressive which is both weapon and risk.
And yes, the discipline subplot has history; remember when Messi & Alba skipped the MLS All-Star Game, sparking suspension chatter? That moment (captured here: Messi & Alba Skip MLS All-Star Game – Suspensions Incoming) is part of the tightrope Miami walks.
The path is there. Aside from Nashville on Decision Day, the schedule tilts friendly. But the East won’t roll over Philly, Cincy, Charlotte, Orlando have all shown teeth (and all but Philly have tagged Miami already).
Survive that gauntlet and you might see Son Heung-min’s LAFC, San Diego’s upstarts, Minnesota’s chessboard, Vancouver’s history-makers, or a Sounders sequel in the final.
Bottom line: with Messi at 38, the window is now. Miami don’t need perfect they need ruthless. Fewer fireworks, more kill shots.
If they bottle Tuesday’s edge and layer control on top, we’re looking at a confetti storm in pink. And when that happens?
