Lionel Messi made a sensational switch to MLS this summer, shocking fans. His recent historic eighth Ballon d’Or for his World Cup outings made him the first MLS player to achieve this feat. Unfortunately, Inter Miami failed to advance to the MLS league playoffs earlier this season.
Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami changed the club’s fortune, guiding them to their first-ever piece of silverware, the Leagues Cup in August. Now, they are set to take part in the cross-continental club tournament named ‘Copa Interamericana’ next year.
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami to join Copa Interamericana
Inter Miami had a disappointing end to the league season, finishing second to last at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. The club experienced an early exit after failing to secure their spot in the MLS playoffs. Miami fans will have to wait until next February to see the World Cup winner play.
According to reports, Inter Miami will compete in the Copa Interamericana tournament, which is scheduled to be revived after 26 years, being played for the first time since 1998. Previously, the tournament involved two clubs, the winners of the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the Copa Libertadores.
Next year’s Interamericana edition will feature a four-team knockout tournament, consisting of the Copa Sudamericana and Leagues Cup champions, as the two new participating teams. The participating clubs include Copa Libertadores winner Fluminense, CONCACAF Champions League champions Club Leon, Inter Miami, and Ecuadorian club LDU Quito.
Miami has already started reinforcing their squad, and it hasn’t slowed them down from bringing in new players to prepare for next year. The latest name linked is former Barcelona striker Luis Suarez, who might join the League Cup winner in January to team up with Messi, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets.
Messi’s Ballon d’Or celebration marred by defeat
Lionel Messi added the prestigious eighth Ballon d’Or to his collection, surpassing Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe. Additionally, he secured a nomination for MLS Newcomer of the Year despite limited appearances in the league, ultimately finishing second in the voting. Moreover, the pre-season preparatory tour to China was called off by the organizer.
Inter Miami played a club-friendly exhibition against New York City FC on Friday. Before the kick-off, Messi presented his Ballon d’Or accolade in front of the fans. Messi walked on the red carpet on the pitch to celebrate his achievement of being titled as the best player. Unfortunately, the celebration soured as they faced a 2-1 defeat at home.
