It’s hard to imagine that footballing demigod Lio Messi had anything left to prove in the game. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has literally clocked football, helping guide Argentina to the promised land of FIFA World Cup immortality.
Still, you felt that the twinkle-toed genius needed to claim top honours in Miami to justify all the hoopla and prove it was more than just a glorified late-career cash grab. And he did it in fine style this weekend, providing two keys assists as David Beckham’s Inter Miami defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 to claim MLS bragging rights. It felt like a seminal moment for not only Messi but co-owner Beckham, who helped lay the foundation of the modern MLS with his spell at LA Galaxy.
Tightly contested first hour
Javier Mascherano’s Inter Miami got off to the ideal start, with Vancouver defender Edier Ocampo clumsily putting the ball in his own net while trying to defend Alleride. The Whitecaps weren’t going to be overawed by the occasion and grew into the match, with Emmanuel Sabbi and Bayern legend Thomas Muller threatening Rocco Rios’s goal just before the break. Their persistence finally paid off, as Ali Ahmed’s powderpuff effort somehow snuck under Rios’s arm to make it 1-1. The momentum was suddenly with the Canadian outfit and Sabbi was unlucky not to give them the lead, incredibly hitting the woodwork three times in one play just moments after the equalizer.
Cometh the hour, cometh that man
Enter stage right: Lio Messi. The Argentine magician had largely been on the outskirts of the game but rose to meet the moment, providing an inch-perfect ball for Rodrigo de Paul, who showed great composure to reinstate Inter’s lead. Vancouver threw bodies forward in a desperate last-ditch search for parity and left themselves open on the counter, with Messi neatly controlling with his chest before flicking the ball towards Allende, who diverted the ball goalwards through Takaoka’s legs. It was yet more misery for Canadian sporting franchises: the Toronto Blue Jays went down 4-3 to the LA Dodgers in the World Series a few months back.
Perfect sendoff for ex-Barca legends
The result provided the perfect fairytale ending to two storied careers, with Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba receiving one last trophy to add to their bursting trophy cabinets. The whole affair had a feeling of Barca predestination about it, with Javier Mascherano also picking up his first managerial trophy with the win. Some will look at the success of Alba and co and argue that it points to a serious lack of depth in the American footballing system. And they would probably have a decent point. But this branch of ex Barca players- obviously led by Messi- could impact American football in a way that rivals their outrageous European success.
American Dreams
Football is on the precipice of exploding in America. The States are set to co-host next year’s FIFA World Cup, which will bring heightened awareness to the sport. Let’s be honest, football- or soccer, as it is colloquially referred to in the States- is still seen as the ugly stepsister of American sports. Try as he may, David Beckham’s journey with LA Galaxy did little to change that overall perception. But Messi is not Beckham. With all due respect to the soft-spoken Mancunian, David Beckham- iconic as he is- was never the greatest player in the world. Messi most certainly was. The fact that he chose to play in the MLS in the autumn of his career is massive. He could have easily gone to Saudi or various other European giants (particularly in the gentler pace of Italian football). But he chose to spend his autumn years in America. Messi winning the league- while playing a starring role- could be a watershed moment for MLS, legitimizing it in the minds of the doubters. That, coupled with the FIFA World Cup, could provide a perfect storm for growth in America.
Look, there’s still a long way to go before football can ever compete with the popularity of basketball and American football. Some Americans will probably never fully come to terms with a sport that largely eschews the use of hands. But Messi’s stature in the game commands attention and the upcoming World Cup will only magnify that attention. It feels like an exciting time to be a fan of Major League Soccer (still can’t quite wrap my head around saying that).
