Lionel Messi, at 37, is set to embark on his inaugural MLS playoff campaign with Inter Miami as they prepare to face Atlanta United on Friday in the opening round. The Argentine legend, who boasts an illustrious career with 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns from his time at Barcelona, alongside a 2022 World Cup triumph with Argentina, now faces a new challenge in Major League Soccer’s playoff system—an unfamiliar format for him.
While Messi’s accolades span nearly every level of international and club competition, the MLS Cup remains one of the few trophies missing from his collection. The league’s playoff structure introduces an entirely different dynamic, one that may not have the same level of competition Messi has previously conquered, but still presents unique tests. Unlike the more traditional points-based championships he’s accustomed to, MLS places high importance on the post-season playoffs, where a team’s entire campaign can hinge on a single result.
Celebrations were in full swing for Messi and his teammates last Saturday, after they secured the Supporters’ Shield for finishing atop the regular-season standings. The victory was marked by fireworks and confetti at Miami’s Chase Stadium, as Inter Miami set a new record for the most points in a single MLS season. However, despite FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s declaration that winning the Shield guaranteed Inter a spot in next year’s expanded Club World Cup, the truth remains that in MLS, regular season achievements hold little weight in the grand scheme—playoff success is what ultimately matters.
Infantino’s emphasis on the Supporters’ Shield can be attributed to a broader motive—securing Messi’s star power for the Club World Cup, a tournament which is still seeking media deals and sponsorship. But for Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham, who experienced the intensity of the MLS playoffs during his time with the LA Galaxy, the focus is entirely on navigating the post-season. While praising manager Gerardo Martino for the team’s record-breaking campaign, Beckham quickly shifted gears to the next challenge: “But this year is not finished, on to the playoffs and we’ll be ready.”
The MLS playoff format leaves little room for error. Inter Miami’s first hurdle is a “best of three” series against Atlanta United, Martino’s former club. The series introduces its own quirks—aggregate scoring doesn’t matter, and each match must have a winner, with any game level after 90 minutes decided by penalty shootouts. To advance, Miami needs two victories from the series, and with Messi and his former Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez leading the attack—each having scored 20 goals in the regular season—they are well-positioned to move past an Atlanta team that finished ninth in the Eastern Conference.
Should they progress, Inter Miami’s journey will only get more challenging. Every match from the conference semi-finals onward will be a single-elimination knockout game. The club’s high regular-season finish ensures home-field advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs, but it doesn’t lessen the difficulty of the path ahead. If Miami can overcome Atlanta, they would likely face either Orlando City or Charlotte FC in the next round, and then potentially reigning MLS champions Columbus Crew in the conference final—a formidable opponent that poses a tough test.
If Miami can reach the MLS Cup final, they could face the reigning champions Los Angeles FC, who are the favorites in the Western Conference. Led by former French internationals Hugo Lloris and Olivier Giroud, LAFC presents one of the biggest threats to Miami’s title ambitions. Yet, the unpredictability of the MLS playoffs is clear—over the past decade, only two teams have managed to win both the Supporters’ Shield and the MLS Cup in the same season, with LAFC accomplishing the feat in 2022 and Toronto FC doing it in 2017.
Miami, however, has reason to believe they can pull off the double this season. Messi’s brilliance, exemplified by his second-half hat-trick in the 6-2 thrashing of New England Revolution last Saturday, is just one factor in their favor. Suarez, though no longer the sprinter he once was, remains lethal in front of goal. Additionally, former Barcelona stars Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba have added their wealth of experience and skill to the squad, lifting Miami’s overall level.
Despite their attacking prowess, Miami’s defense has shown vulnerabilities, conceding more goals than any other team in the top eight of the Supporters’ Shield standings, except LA Galaxy. This defensive frailty could prove costly in the playoffs, where margins are slim and mistakes can be fatal. Atlanta United, unbeaten against Miami in the regular season, will aim to exploit this weakness. They won 3-1 in May and held Miami to a 2-2 draw in September, making this first playoff clash an intriguing contest.
For goalkeeper Drake Callender and the rest of the Miami squad, the hard work begins now. Reflecting on the team’s journey so far, Callender emphasized the need to finish the job: “We didn’t come this far just to get this far.” For Messi, Suarez, and the rest of the Inter Miami squad, the road to MLS Cup glory begins on Friday—and with their combined talent, they’ll be determined to ensure it doesn’t end anytime soon.
Check Also: Bodo/Glimt wins with a last-minute goal against Braga in the Europa League