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Argentine superstar Lionel Messi claimed that the Major League Soccer's (MLS) all-time points record was not on Inter Miami's minds after securing the 2024 Supporters' Shield title. The 37-year-old admitted that it is a 'nice opportunity' for the Herons to break the record but re-affirmed that it would not matter as much as the title itself.
Going into the game against second-placed Eastern Conference side Columbus Crew on October 2, Miami needed a win to secure the Shield. An uneventful first half was drawing to a close with the scores tied at 0-0 when Messi decided to take matters into his own hands.
The Argentine chested down a long ball from Jordi Alba before caressing the ball into the back of the net to open the scoring in the 45th minute. In the fifth minute of first-half additional time, he scored a stunning free-kick from 24 yards to extend Miami's lead to 2-0.
Goals from Diego Rossi (46') and Cucho Hernandez (61', penalty) were not enough for the crew, as Luis Suarez's strike (48') secured a 3-2 win for the Herons. They currently sit on 68 points after 32 games, with two games left in the regular season.
The regular-season points record is presently held by the New England Revolution, who scored 73 points in the 2021 season. If Inter Miami manage to win both their remaining games, they would break the record and etch themselves in history.
However, Messi claimed that it wasn't playing on his or his teammates' minds. Speaking after the game, he said (via Hindustan Times):
"I'm happy. Happy for this group. The idea was clear from the beginning: to be protagonists, to want to control possession and to challenge opponents through our style of play. Then key players arrived, which made the team grow even more in terms of gameplay, personality and competitiveness."
"I believe surpassing the points record is secondary. While we have a nice opportunity to make history in that regard as well, I think it matters less," Messi added.
The Argentine maestro has bagged 17 goals and 15 assists in 17 MLS games this season (stats via MLSoccer.com).
"We took charge from the start" - Lionel Messi speaks about Inter Miami's Supporters' Shield-winning campaign
Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi opened up about the determination and efforts showcased by his squad to secure the club's first-ever Supporters' Shield title.
Miami beat Columbus Crew 3-2 on October 2 to secure the trophy with two games left in the regular season. Speaking to Apple TV after the game, Messi celebrated the victory but called it the 'first objective', with the primary objective still being the MLS Cup.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner said (via Inter Miami News):
"I am so happy [for] the group. At the beginning of the year, I said we had a group to fight for this, we took charge from the start and I am happy to reach our first objective. Columbus was a very tough opponent, defending champion, Leagues Cup champion, a big team and we had to fight until the end."
Up next, Messi's Inter Miami will take on Toronto FC at the BMO Field on Saturday, October 5.
