FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – They name him “Leo,” “La Pulga,” “El Mesías”… even “The GOAT.” Will Lionel Messi quickly be referred to as 2024 Landon Donovan MLS MVP?
The legendary Argentine No. 10 greater than regarded the half on Saturday evening, producing a superb 3g/1a efficiency off the bench in Inter Miami CF’s 6-2 Decision Day rout of the New England Revolution.
That end result secured the MLS single-season factors document for the Herons (74) and offered a large confidence increase forward of Friday’s Spherical One Greatest-of-3 Collection opener within the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs (8:30 pm ET | Apple TV – Free).
GOAT standing
Simply 4 days faraway from scoring a hat trick for Argentina in FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Messi struck for one other three objectives to ship the Chase Stadium crowd right into a frenzy.
Saturday’s masterclass pushed him to 20g/16a in simply 19 appearances this season – numbers which have him among the many favorites for MVP honors.
Ask his teammates, nonetheless, and there’s no competitors with the GOAT.
“If I might vote for him, I might’ve voted for him,” stated midfielder Julian Gressel, who was subbed off for Messi within the 58th minute – moments earlier than the No. 10’s spectacular secondary help arrange Benjamin Cremaschi’s eventual game-winner. “As a result of for me, the MVP stands for the perfect participant within the league, and Leo is that by far.
“There are different folks on the market who’ve a definition of MVP perhaps that makes the staff higher, or {that a} staff can’t stay with out. To me, Leo is that too. You see as we speak: he is available in and scores a hat trick, you already know? So for me, he’s my MVP.”
MVP subject
Cremaschi was simply as adamant that Messi stands a lower above the remaining, regardless of standout 2024 campaigns from the likes of Columbus Crew’s Cucho Hernández (19g/14a) and the defending MVP, FC Cincinnati captain Luciano Acosta (14g/19a).
“I feel so [Messi is the MVP]. Clearly Leo, the reality is he reveals it each time he steps on the pitch,” stated the 19-year-old homegrown and US worldwide. “He’s a participant who’s at one other stage, which reveals greater than so much.”
That stated, Cremaschi would additionally put Miami teammate Luis Suárez – who was equally good on Saturday with two objectives and two assists to succeed in 20g/9a on the yr – in the identical MVP class as Messi
“Clearly, we even have Luis Suárez, who’s there to be nominated,” stated Cremaschi. “So hopefully somebody from the membership can win it.”
— Main League Soccer (@MLS) October 20, 2024
Trophy imaginative and prescient
Private accolades apart, what’s most necessary for Miami head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino is protecting Messi in stellar kind as they put together to host the winner of Tuesday’s CF Montréal vs. Atlanta United Wild Card in Spherical One of many playoffs.
It is all with an eye fixed on MLS Cup offered by Audi on Dec. 7, for which Inter Miami have internet hosting precedence. They will additionally turn out to be the eighth double-winning staff (MLS Cup and Supporters’ Defend) in league historical past, and the primary since LAFC‘s 2022 squad.
“After the necessary damage he had on the Copa América [over the summer], we needed to be very cautious together with his restoration,” Martino stated.
“… Right this moment, the sensation I’ve is that now we have him in a super state of affairs to face crucial a part of the yr for us.”