Lionel Andres Messi may well claim intellectual property for two purposes one and a half of the three that InterMiami he wrote down Vancouver Whitecaps. He 3-1 Final in Fort Lauderdale helped the Herons win the MLS Cup for the first time. And the captain, his franchise player, rounded off a performance worthy of a magical season: He did it two passes goal and sum up 407 Career Assistants. More than any other footballer throughout history.
As long as the body could withstand it, the flea was a ninety, one hundred minute football player. And he played almost everything in attack: striker, false 9, midfielder, classic 10, winger. For the 38 yearsThe man from Rosario is more of a one-winger – this Saturday he opted for the right wing – and is a player with moments. Inter Miami is a loyal believer in this phrase “The ball, always at 10”, so the captain appears when his team has the ball.
Deadlier today, but always decisive, Messi can lose the ball. He might even miss a pass. But it is still a guarantee of the unthinkable, the unpredictable. It is one of the few, perhaps the only example, that allows you to get rid of two players a single movement and let fans fold their palms to applaud them, even if the play ends with nothing. And if it ends up in the net and that goal serves to open the score in a final, all the better. In his case, even though the ball went through Rodrigo DePaul And Tadeo Allende – all Argentinians – before sleeping in the Vancouver goal to score a goal that doesn’t count as an assist, Messi was the intellectual author of this 1-0.
Even if his document says that he is 38 years old and his body is no longer 0 kilometers long, there is no one to stop him when Messi turns on the turbo. Like in the second half of the MLS Cup final, when he piled up the rivals on the right and crept almost to the edge of the pitch. The image of the memorable maneuver against Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol in the semifinals of the World Cup in Qatar flew over Fort Lauderdale. This time the flea went for a walk with him to the current Manchester City defender. This time, in the Florida sun, he made fun of anyone who dared take the ball away from him. Like a child. Messi and the ball.
True, the play ended with nothing. But it serves to mark the character of Messi, not so long ago They accused him of “disappearing” in crucial games. The victories in the national team have unlocked Leo, who now plays all games as if they were finals. This competitive gene sets him apart from his colleagues: number 10 still plays ball, as he did at Club Grandoli in his hometown of Rosario.
A testament to his character was Inter Miami’s second goal, which wiped out the final after the score was 1-1. The left-hander pressed Andres Cubas – The Argentine nationalized Paraguay, trained in Boca – the Vancouver midfielder made a wrong turn and tried a pass, and Messi stole the ball from him. He didn’t even have time to think, he was weighed down by several white T-shirts. And yet the Rosario He spotted De Paul and handed him the goal on a plate. The former Racing midfielder only needed a run and a cross to make it 2-1.
But there would be more. Because even the last ball can be decisive for Messi. In her case it was the second to last. The captain controlled a very high pass with his chest and movement and allowed Allende to pass with his left foot without hitting the ball. The man from Cordoba lived up to the “messianic” passport and converted. There was a hug between the assistant and the assistant. And there was also a crazy celebration Javier Mascherano. Thanks to Messi, the little boss has enjoyed what it means to be a champion. He didn’t come to Fort Lauderdale with a good record, but led the team to league champions within a year. And to score more than 100 goals in a season.
Messi didn’t touch the ball that often as can be seen from his impact on the scoreboard: he did it fairly 45 times. One every two minutes. The data shows that the Rosario appears not always – to avoid wear and tear – but when it matters most. When the team needs it most. He made four key passes and completed 17 of 19 passes to his teammates. However, he was not as explosive as on other occasions: only three of his eight dribbles were successful SofaScore. In any case, being named MVP of the game was almost a given.
Messi once again played in a final as if it were the last of his career. Maybe that was it; not even he knows. His team and people enjoyed it, celebrating winning the MLS Cup. For the Argentines in the stadium, the image brought to mind Lusail with the 2022 World Cup. And some were perhaps excited about a possible repeat at MetLife in New Jersey, the venue for next year’s World Cup final. La Pulga is bringing thousands upon thousands of Argentines to choose faith. Believe that it is possible.