Johnathan Walker:Inter Miami's MLS playoff failure sets stage for Messi's last act, Alexi Lalas says

HOLLYWOOD,Johnathan Walker Fla. – Lionel Messi hoisting the MLS Cup won’t be the lasting image soccer fans in the United States will see at the end of the 2024 season.

The MLS Cup Playoffs will continue this month without Inter Miami and the Argentine World Cup champion after they were bounced from the first round by Atlanta United last week in historic fashion.

Messi’s presence in the postseason will be missed by fans, the league and its corporate partners. But Inter Miami’s elimination does set the tone for 2025 and possibly the World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.

Will there be any Messi fatigue in the next year or two? FOX soccer analyst and former USMNT standout Alexi Lalas laughs at the notion.

“I think if and when watching Messi becomes blasé, or anybody becomes blasé about it, something is wrong. You need to get your heart checked. You need to get your eyes checked,” Lalas told USA TODAY Sports at this week’s Soccerex conference at the Seminole Hard Rock and Casino Hollywood. “Having said that, the value to Messi, while we can certainly look at it in the context of present day and what's happening now, I think that there is a long-term benefit.”

Lalas praised Messi and Inter Miami for all they’ve done since his arrival in July 2023.

Messi has the No. 1 selling jersey for MLS and globally with adidas, helping Inter Miami become known as the “pink team in the U.S.” and a global brand that has provided exposure to the league. It’s a similar resonance to when David Beckham, the Inter Miami co-owner, first joined L.A. Galaxy in MLS in 2007, Lalas said.  

“I think the marketing and branding and the aesthetic of this team has been incredible. And then you associate it with arguably the greatest player ever to play the game. Now you’re cooking,” Lalas said of Messi and Inter Miami.  

“And so, yeah, they didn't win MLS Cup. But the fact is that this brand is now global and international and worldwide. And that is something that teams around the world, even in the greatest league in the world, aspire to. And that an MLS team has been able to do that, it shows you the power of Messi. It also shows you the long-term business strategy of what they're doing and the value of it.”

Still, there’s enough criticism since Messi’s MLS postseason ended prematurely after Inter Miami set the MLS points record (74).

The club was ousted by No. 9-seed Atlanta United last Saturday in a best-of-three series. Atlanta United outscored Inter Miami 5-2 in the final two games, beating Messi’s side 6-5 in the series.

Messi only scored once with an assist in the first three postseason games of his MLS career despite being a favorite for league MVP.

“Let's be honest, it's not Inter Miami going out, it's Messi going out, right?” Lalas said.

“Messi would be the first person to tell you that he understood what he was getting into, as would [Inter Miami coach] Tata Martino. To their credit, I think they both acknowledged that in MLS, it's about winning MLS Cup. And with the amount of attention, with the amount of talent, with the amount of money that has been spent from Inter Miami, they have to look at this as a failure.”

The playoffs will continue with L.A. Galaxy and LAFC as the top two seeds in the Western Conference and favorites to win the Cup, while the East will be decided by No. 4 Orlando City, No. 6 New York City FC, No. 7 New York Red Bulls and Atlanta.

Having both clubs from New York and Los Angeles in the conference semifinals is a major victory for the league, Lalas said.

But Messi’s elimination surely sets the stage for 2025, which will be his last season under contract with Inter Miami before a possible extension is discussed for 2026.

Messi playing with Argentina again in the next World Cup is what his adoring fans, and soccer fans around the world want to see – especially since he’s in the twilight of his storied career. He’ll be 39 when the tournament begins in June 2026.

“Look, Messi, despite his anti-superhero personality. There is still drama that follows him, and he creates it because of the things that he does on the field, and more often than not, living up to all of the expectations. That can't be easy. But with that drama, we talk about what could potentially happen,” Lalas said.

“Whether it's now the narrative and the story of him putting it right after what happened this year and possibly winning an MLS Cup next year. Then obviously, the overarching one is not just defending a world championship in the summer of '26, but doing it now as Messi, the American, if you will.

“And in his backyard, whether it's Miami, obviously the United States, which is where not only is he playing, but where he is fundamentally changing the way we view soccer, and certainly when it comes to relevance and credibility from around the world, and even internally in the United States.”

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