Miami’s MLS Cup Dream Rests on Messi

The city of Miami is on the verge of lining up to an unprecedented achievement which is spurred by a remarkable series of games by 38-year-old Lionel Messi whose displays have led the club to an Eastern Conference final with New York City FC. To a team that is still developing its identity in the MLS, the arrival and instant effect of Messi have set Miami on the right track much faster than one would have thought.

The Miami surge has an extraordinary story in terms of the numbers. Messi ended the regular season with 29 goals and 19 assists, demanding the total dominance of the offensive activity indicators of the league. At the playoffs, he has broken the history records with 12 goal contributions with 6 goals and 6 assists, which has never been witnessed before in the MLS history of the playoffs.

The shape of Miami has been particularly remarkable since the end of September, with Messi making 22 direct contributions in a few weeks only, and not featuring on the scoresheet in five of his previous 32 games. This degree of consistency has increased the pressure on Miami to translate their momentum into a championship.

Coach Javier Mascherano has managed to create significant changes in Miami defense organization, which was a previously weak area in the team. Nevertheless, the whole campaign revolves around Messi whose vision, finishing and leadership have been the hallmark in the development of Miami.

With the end in sight, the major strategic consideration of NYCFC will be to restrict the impact of Messi- something that has not been achieved by any team regularly. Miami has placed its faith on the fact that Messi can step up during times of need and the club feels that with an average performance of Messi, they can easily win their first MLS Cup.

A championship would be a testament to the project in Miami, establishing them as a serious MLS powerhouse. However, the failure to win would invite questions on whether the team has done enough to ensure that Messi brilliance is realized.

Fundamentally, the fate of the Miami season this season can never be detached with the brilliance of Messi, which preconditions one of the most tense matches in the club history.