Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona was largely unexpected. Many thought the Argentine would see out his playing days at Barcelona, the club that took a chance on him when no one else would. Messi turning out for PSG in a stunning move shocked the world, but what’s more shocking is his move to David Beckham’s Inter Miami after spending two years in France.
Messi’s unveiling commanded a whopping 3.5 billion views across several streaming platforms, as announced by David Beckham. This shows how powerful Messi’s global appeal is. He will bring more to the MLS than his footballing abilities, and that’s as clear as day already.
The big question is whether Lionel Messi can bring the glory days to Inter Miami. Can he inspire his new team to lift the MLS trophy for the first time in their history?
Can Lionel Messi take Inter Miami into the MLS Playoffs?
Lionel Messi is known for his ability to create something from nothing. The left-footed wonder man has taken his country to a couple of international victories, most notably that Copa America win and recently the World Cup title against France, where he scored a brace. Messi will be tasked to inspire his new team to victory in the MLS, although it may seem like an uphill task.
Inter Miami is currently lying at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, something that subsequently resulted in the sacking of manager Phil Neville, David Beckham’s friend and former Manchester United teammate. With Messi, Sergio Busquets, and potentially Jordi Alba in their ranks for the new season, David Beckham and his fellow co-owners will hope that their Inter Miami team can compete on all fronts, perhaps working their way to the MLS Playoffs.
It will be unrealistic to think Lionel Messi will bring instant on-field success for Inter Miami; he may be human after all. However, the Argentinean has proven beyond reasonable doubt that he can be all the difference a team needs to win titles.
How many games does Inter Miami need to win to reach the Playoffs?
If there’s anything about football, it’s that anything is possible, and no team can be written off. Against all odds, Leicester City won the English Premier League in 2016, so Inter Miami reaching the playoffs is not impossible. However, statistics have suggested that Messi and his Inter Miami team only have a 2% chance of reaching the MLS playoffs this year.
For Inter Miami to reach the playoffs, they must win nine of their last twelve matches. This is not impossible with Messi, Busquets, and Jordi Alba in the team; however, it surely is a mammoth task.
Will Messi and Co. reach the MLS Playoffs? Don’t forget to share your predictions with us in the comments section.
