Lionel Messi continues to cement his status as one of football’s greatest legends after securing his 46th career trophy on Thursday, Soccernet.football reports.
The Argentine superstar added the Major League Soccer (MLS) Supporters’ Shield to his ever-growing collection after leading Inter Miami to a thrilling 3-2 victory over Columbus Crew.
Messi’s magic was on full display as he scored twice in the encounter, propelling Miami to their first-ever Supporters’ Shield win.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner opened the scoring with a close-range strike before delivering a stunning free-kick just before half-time to double Miami’s advantage.
Columbus Crew’s Diego Rossi briefly cut the deficit with a second-half goal, but Miami’s Luis Suarez restored their two-goal cushion. A late penalty from Cucho Hernandez kept the game tense, but Inter Miami held on to secure the vital win.
This triumph guarantees Inter Miami will finish at the top of the MLS regular-season standings and grants them home advantage throughout the playoffs.
Reflecting on the achievement, Messi said, “The first objective has been achieved, and now we have to think about what’s next.”
Looking ahead to ...season, Messi emphasised the importance of Miami’s strong home form: “We have the great advantage of playing all the games at home, which is what we were looking for. We are very strong at home.”
With two games remaining, Miami still has a chance to surpass the MLS regular-season points record, set at 73 by New England Revolution in 2021.