Lionel Messi expressed his pride in his team’s achievements during his inaugural season with Inter Miami, despite their failure to qualify for the MLS playoffs. Inter Miami concluded the campaign with a 1-0 defeat against Charlotte FC, with Messi featuring for the entire match.
In an Instagram post, Messi stated, “I am proud of everything the team accomplished this season. Through the collective effort and hard work, we secured the Leagues Cup, marking Inter Miami CF’s first-ever title. We also reached the final of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and remained in contention for the MLS playoffs until the final moments.”He continued, “We will cherish all the positive aspects and, above all, strive to enhance our competitiveness in the upcoming year. I extend my gratitude to everyone associated with the club and the city of Miami for their unwavering support.
I am confident that we will continue to share incredible moments together, as we have experienced in recent months.”During the season, Messi contributed 11 goals in 14 matches for Inter Miami. The team posted an 8-2-4 record during his appearances, with seven of those games occurring during their successful Leagues Cup campaign. Additionally, Messi made five appearances in MLS games, starting three times and scoring one goal.Unfortunately, a hamstring injury disrupted Messi’s season and effectively dashed Inter Miami’s playoff hopes.
The team struggled, recording a 1-3-3 record in the seven matches played without Messi following his injury. Although Messi made a substitute appearance against FC Cincinnati on October 7, Inter Miami suffered a 1-0 defeat that sealed their elimination from playoff contention.Messi’s arrival in the United States generated a surge in ticket sales and merchandise for Inter Miami. Jorge Mas, the managing owner of Inter Miami, acknowledged that “everything has changed” since Messi joined the club earlier this month.
Recently, Inter Miami announced their first overseas tour, scheduled to take place in China on November 5 and November 8, where they will participate in two exhibition matches.Following the tour, Messi will join the Argentina squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil.
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