The Herons have completed the first step toward MLS Cup glory, but now need to continue their momentum into the playoffs
Lionel Messi, a man of notoriously few words, said it best himself.
"First goal accomplished," the Inter Miami superstar said on Instagram. "We move forward with the desire to achieve more things together."
Those 14 words are perhaps the perfect encapsulation of Inter Miami's season. It was never going to be as easy as those with a cursory understanding of their star-studded roster might think. But truth be told, they were sort of expected to win at least MLS trophies this year. They secured one Wednesday night, bringing home the Supporters' Shield with a 3-2 victory over Columbus Crew – their presumptive biggest rivals for MLS Cup glory.
And that's all very nice. Messi gets to say he won trophy no. 46, extending his record. Miami establishes itself as mathematically the best team in the league. But that acknowledgment – handed out to the side with the best record in MLS – is the first part of a far bigger goal. The real work, the proper pursuit of a first MLS Cup in franchise history, starts now.
Inter Miami CFWhat the Supporters' Shield means
To be clear, ror Miami, this was no small feat. Just look at the locker room celebrations: the standard slew of smiling faces and "campeones" chants. Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Messi – winners of Champions Leagues and domestic trophies alike, and for some World Cups – looked as delighted as ever. Perhaps this is because serial winners never get tired of winning things.
But for Miami, it feels like the start of something bigger. David Beckham's franchise has struggled for years. Since its first season in MLS in 2020, Miami has a losing record. They haven't advanced past the first round of the playoffs.
In Messi's first campaign – albeit one in which the Argentine played just more than 400 minutes of football – they finished 14th in the Eastern Conference. Say what you will about success for individuals, but there hasn't been much to shout about in the Pink of this South Beach team.
So, for those grinning in the dressing room, this trophy – which for some is a minor acknowledgment in the scope of a larger goal – might just mean a little bit more.
AdvertisementMessi's impact
It starts and ends with Messi, of course. Miami, for all of its star power in some positions, and smart signings to fill out others, still needed the Argentine to galvanize its rise to prominence. That started last year.
Lost somewhere in the excitement of the Argentine's signing in July 2023 was that the Herons were never really going to make the playoffs. They were dead last in the Eastern Conference – and needed a half-fit Messi to carry them to an undefeated slate to even stand a chance of playing the postseason. It turned out, in the rough and tumble of the MLS season, that he was human after all.
But he did bring silverware to South Beach. Messi's first game, played on July 21 last year, was marked by a match-winning free kick in stoppage time in the Leagues Cup. Four weeks later, they beat Nashville in the final on penalties. Messi was also instrumental in a U.S. Open Cup run, but the Herons lost in the final with a calf injury ruling the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner out.
GettyRelying on everyone else – when they have to
Fast-forward 12 months, and the Herons aren't quite as reliant on their superstar anymore. Their hand was forced by the admittedly hectic world football calendar, when MLS continued through the Copa America – forcing a number of sides to make do without their best players. But during that period, the Herons thrived.
With both Suarez and Messi absent, they won five of six – with the likes of Leo Campana and Robert Taylor stepping in to offer attacking quality. Meanwhile, the constant presence of Busquets and Alba – who had both retired from Spain international duty before Euro 2024 – brought the necessary veteran experience and steadiness that Miami had previously lacked.
Suddenly, the squad that was nowhere without the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner had figured out how to pick up points without Messi. This is a far deeper side – and more dangerous as a result. It was, in fact, in those summer months when this thing was truly won. Miami was supposed to collapse during Copa America, and in the weeks that Messi missed due to an ankle injury. Instead, Tata Martino's side only opened their lead atop the East.
"There were very few times when we were all on the field together," Messi said after the Columbus win. "But the group managed to get through some very tough games… the results were very positive."
GettyPlayoff preview
Of course, little of that matters now. The Supporters' Shield has proved to be largely inconsequential in predicting who might win the whole thing, with only eight teams going on to take home MLS Cup after finishing the regular season with the best record in the league.
As with many American sports, the best team over the course of the season isn't necessarily the one that lifts the final trophy at the end.
"Achieving a goal like this comes with moments of good play and moments of suffering," Martino said. "It happens to everyone who is on the verge of accomplishing something."
The good news for Miami is that the path to playoff success looks relatively kind. If results go their way, a first-round matchup with Montreal awaits. Next would likely be NYCFC or Orlando. Miami-Columbus would certainly be a scintillating conference championship matchup, but the Herons showed Wednesday that they're more than capable of beating their biggest rivals – especially when they're on song.
That showing, one in which Messi scored twice and pulled the strings throughout, is perhaps the biggest reason why the Herons are MLS Cup favorites. When the MVP candidate is on, they're almost impossible to stop.