Lionel Messi Makes Inter Miami MLS Cup Favorites

Since joining Inter Miami, Lionel Messi has been the league’s most impressive player, taking the team to new heights. Messi’s influence has been indisputable, but as Miami prepares for the 2024 MLS playoffs, his track record in knockout-stage games may cause some concern.

Messi’s Battles for Knockout

Messi has won his long-awaited World Cup in 2022 and enjoyed unmatched success throughout his career, but his background in knockout football is not without its flaws. In front of 82,000 spectators, Messi missed a vital penalty against Chile in the historic 2016 Copa America final, which will live in the memories of the supporters. That miss was a part of a broader story about Messi’s occasional failures in elimination games with big stakes.

Messi struggled in the Champions League knockout stages of his early Barcelona career, and he received criticism for “disappearing” at pivotal times during his tenure at PSG. Even in the latter stages of this year’s Copa America, his customary dominance waned.

The Implications for Inter Miami

Messi’s play in knockout games will be crucial as Inter Miami prepares for their maiden MLS Cup playoff run, which starts with a game against Atlanta United. Miami’s comeback has benefited greatly from the Argentine icon, but the strain of single-elimination football can highlight certain weaknesses. Messi is incredibly talented, but if Miami struggles to turn their regular-season performance into playoff victory, his record in these games may become a talking point.