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News, Blog and GuidesThe Argentinian World Cup winner has inspired the worst team in MLS to a run of four straight wins since signing from Paris Saint-Germain.
William GittinsWillGittUpdate: Aug 7th, 2023 07:26 EDT
Kevin JairajUSA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Inter Miami secured passage to the Leagues Cup quarter-final with a penalty shoot-out win over FC Dallas on Sunday evening.
Once again, Gerardo Martino’s Miami side were inspired to victory by a show-stealing performance from Lionel Messi. The Argentine scored twice and created another goal in the 4-4 draw, and coolly slotted away his penalty in the shootout.
Messi was followed to Miami by former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, and joined a team that already featured former MLS Most Valuable Player Josef Martinez. Yet it is Messi who has been at the heart of Inter Miami’s recent turn in fortunes.
Read: Lionel Messi helps Apple TV break subscriber record
We take a look at the Argentine’s impact since joining Miami…
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami stats
Messi made his Inter Miami debut in the team’s Leagues Cup fixture against Mexican giants Cruz Azul on 21 July. Having not had time to build up to full match fitness he entered as a second half substitute but still scored the decisive goal with an injury time free kick.
Since that first outing Messi has started the following three games, captaining the side in all three. In each of those games Messi has scored twice, taking his tally to seven goals in four matches.
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Lionel Messi found the top corner with a brilliant late free kick against FC Dallas.Kevin JairajUSA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
However Messi has only played the full 90 minutes in two of those four games, meaning that his minutes-per-goal p is even more impressive.
Messi’s seven goals have come in just 294 minutes; one goal every 42 minutes. For context, MLS leading goalscorer Henry Mukhtar’s 13 league strikes have come at a rate of one goal every 152 minutes.
Inter Miami record since Messi joined
Messi’s incredible personal record will continue to make headlines, but for fans of Inter Miami it is the Argentine’s impact on the team that will be the main focus. In that regard, too, Messi has been a huge success in the early weeks of his career in Miami.
When Messi arrived, Inter Miami had not won any of their previous11 MLS fixtures. Since Messi’s introduction the team have been victorious in all four of their Leagues Cup fixtures, albeit needing a penalty shootout to progress past Dallas on Sunday night.
The clearest example of Messi’s impact on the team’s form has been in the goal-scoring numbers, which have soared since the Argentine’s arrival. Miami have one of the worst offensive records in MLS with 22 goals in their 22 league fixtures in 2023.
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Messi’s arrival has brought about a striking upturn in fortunes for the team who sit bottom in MLS.ALEX BIERENS DE HAANAFP
However in the four games with Messi they have scored a total of 13 goals, more than three goals per game on average. After two Messi goals, one of them an inch-perfect free kick, eased Miami past Dallas on Sunday evening head coach Martino reiterated his importance to the team.
“We have the best player in the world. That can’t be ignored. When we have our moments, the team is lethal,” he said.
