Lionel Messi, the legendary No. 10, was pure magic last night for Inter Miami CF. Under the Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire spotlight, he delivered a stunning assist and a highlight-reel late goal to rally the Herons past the New England Revolution, 2-1. That dramatic win clinched a spot in next year’s Concacaf Champions Cup, and it also put Miami right in the driver’s seat for the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed ahead of the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs. What a night for the Herons!
The Maestro Dominates
Think Messi is slowing down at 39? Think again. He didn’t win his ninth Ballon d’Or last week, but he sure keeps dominating New England. This guy recorded his fifth multi-goal contribution performance in six career matches against the Revs, for a total of 8 goals and 6 assists. Talk about a kryptonite! His no-look, backwards header in the 69th minute set up Germán Berterame for the equalizer, then Messi went and got the late goal himself. Head coach Cristian ‘Kily’ González isn’t holding back either, saying Messi is “the best of them all,” and that “Nobody compares with him.” He truly believes Leo, at his age, and with what he represents and does, deserves the MVP.
MVP Frontrunner, Golden Boot In Sight
Those heroics against the Revs weren’t a flash in the pan either. Messi’s got a ridiculous 26 goals and 16 assists on the season, putting him in pole position for a historic third straight Landon Donovan MLS MVP award and a second consecutive Golden Boot presented by Audi. González nails it when he says, “Leo , at his age, and what he represents, and what he does , it’s obvious that he deserves it. Just like he deserved the Ballon d’Or.” Striker Germán Berterame summed up the team’s mentality perfectly, telling Apple TV in Spanish that the players “create [the expectation] of always winning… They want to win and win. And that’s what this means.” It’s clear the whole squad has bought into that championship mindset.
So, what’s next for Messi and the Herons? They’re not resting on their laurels. It’s Saturday’s Decision Day clash against Charlotte FC where they’ve got the fate of the East’s No. 2 seed right in their hands. Kickoff is at 4 pm ET on Apple TV. For González, finishing the regular season with a win is the *only* acceptable result, because this team measures success by trophies. Their only objective after booking that Champions Cup spot? Become the first repeat MLS Cup champions since the 2011-12 LA Galaxy. González knows they can’t take anything for granted, but he’s confident. As he said, “We’ve achieved this objective, which allows us to look at what’s ahead with confidence. And it’s terribly important for the club and for us.” You better believe they’re coming for that hardware!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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