INTERNATIONAL – Argentine legend Lionel Messi begins his first full season with Inter Miami on Wednesday, teaming up with familiar faces from his Barcelona days. With a star-studded lineup, Miami is favored to clinch its first Major League Soccer (MLS) title in 2024.
Messi, who joined Miami midseason in July 2023, made an immediate impact by leading the team to a Leagues Cup title. However, his brilliance wasn’t enough to overturn Miami’s poor early-season results, leaving them out of playoff contention.
With a star-studded lineup, Miami is favored to clinch its first Major League Soccer (MLS) title in 2024.
This year, Miami has strengthened its squad by signing Luis Suárez. The 37-year-old Uruguayan striker joins former Barcelona teammates Messi (36), Sergio Busquets (35), and Jordi Alba (34), reuniting the iconic quartet. With such high-profile additions, Miami’s games have driven ticket prices through the roof amid constant media buzz.
However, head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino has tempered expectations, stressing the importance of preparation. “Superteams also find it difficult to win,” he said in January. “Victory comes to those who prepare well and work together, not just by assembling talented players.”
Inter Miami opens its 2024 campaign at home against Real Salt Lake, amid a backdrop of replacement referees due to an ongoing labor dispute. The return to their home ground follows a challenging preseason, where Messi, recovering from injury, faced fan backlash after skipping a friendly in Hong Kong.
Despite their firepower, Miami will face tough competition. Defending MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew and reigning Supporters’ Shield winners FC Cincinnati remain strong contenders in the Eastern Conference. Columbus boasts a formidable lineup, including 2023 MLS Cup MVP Cucho Hernández, Darlington Nagbe, and All-Star Aidan Morris.
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In the Western Conference, St. Louis City SC looks to build on their record-setting debut season, while Los Angeles FC, runners-up in 2023, return with World Cup-winning goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. LAFC’s head coach Steve Cherundolo enters the season with a new multi-year contract, and the club hopes Lloris’s experience will propel them to another MLS Cup title.
As the season kicks off, all eyes will be on Messi and Miami to see if their superteam can deliver the championship they’ve been tipped to win.
