Lionel Messi, 37, Inter Miami, is still the “God of Soccer” on the American stage. His club Miami, which was at the bottom of the league last season, is leading the league this season and has been praised for its soccer intelligence.
Messi scored one goal and provided five assists in a 6-2 victory over the Red Bulls of Major League Soccer (MLS) at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Sept. 5 (U.S.).
Messi’s performance helped Inter Miami, which has won four straight league games, move into first place in the Eastern Conference with 24 points from 12 games with seven wins, three draws and two losses. It’s a remarkable leap for Miami, which finished 14th out of 15 teams last season.
Messi, who scored the game-winning goal in the fifth minute of the second half to make it 2-1, was involved in back-to-back goals by Matias Rojas in the third and 17th minutes of the second half and Luis Suarez’s hat trick in the 23rd, 30th and 36th minutes.
Notably, Messi’s one goal and five assists on the night were the most assists in a single game in MLS and the most offensive points in a single game in the league. 바카라사이트 Despite missing four games this season, Messi has 10 goals and nine assists in eight games. Including cup competitions, he has 12 goals and 11 assists in 11 games.
In the US,
Inter Miami News quoted former US national team center back Alexi Lallas, 54, as saying that Messi has greatly improved the soccer intelligence of Inter Miami players.
Lallas told the State of the Union podcast, “Inter Miami is growing with Messi. Backline breaks that they wouldn’t have even thought about in the past, let alone attempted, they’re now saying, ‘This is a great opportunity for him to thread the needle, so I’m going to try it,’” Lallas claimed on the State of the Union podcast.
“It makes defenders nervous, it makes them take a step back, they have to think about the unseen breaks and the space behind them. It’s amazing,” he added in admiration.
With Messi in the team, he says, they know how to handle the ball better and play better together. Messi’s influence is also evident on the field.
American sports have been dominated by the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), and National Hockey League (NHL), but in the last year, interest in professional soccer has grown significantly with the arrival of Messi. 사설 토토사이트 Messi is slowly shaking up the existing North American sports ecosystem.
“Messi’s influence will continue long after he’s gone,” the outlet said, emphasizing that “the thought of him leaving is not something Inter Miami and MLS fans want to consider for a moment, but when that day comes, he will leave a lasting mark on the organization.” Messi is under contract with Miami through 2025.