Lionel Messi’s Dominance Has Fans Delirious as Inter Miami Beat Atlanta United
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Messi League Soccer.
Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi made his first start for his new club on Tuesday and didn’t disappoint, notching a brace within 22 minutes during a 4-0 thrashing of Atlanta United in Leagues Cup action.
B/R Football @brfootball
Leo Messi only needed nine minutes in his first Inter Miami start to score 😤
Major League Soccer @MLS
GO OFF, LEO MESSI.
A 20-minute brace for @InterMiamiCF‘s star man. pic.twitter.com/vzrDobOFRc
He added an assist in his 78 minutes of play before being substituted, with Robert Taylor notching his own brace on the night:
Major League Soccer @MLS
#InterMiamiCF are a PROBLEM.
Messi tees up Taylor to make it 4-0! #LeaguesCup2023 pic.twitter.com/OHMmHSiW8i
Maximiliano Bretos @MaxBretosSports
Lionel Messi has transformed Robert Taylor into Robert Lewandowski.
It was a job well done for the 36-year-old Messi, and MLS Twitter was downright giddy with the G.O.A.T.’s epic first start:
Ray Hudson @RayHudson
Only #Messi has the audacity to play a 1-2 with the goalpost before scoring🤣🤣🤣 #InterMiamiCF
Magesteeeerial pass from Busi naturally.
Jonathan Jones @jjones9
A game and a half in and Messi vs the the MLS is like the Mahomes’ Chiefs against the 2012 Saints defense
Ty Schalter @tyschalter
“Messi in MLS is too good, he scored TWO goals in one game already!”
He was also too good for La Liga, where he averaged over one goal per 90′ for SEVENTEEN YEARS
Kyle McCarthy @kylejmccarthy
Suspect a few #MLS teams will consider man marking Messi based on the early returns.
ESPN FC @ESPNFC
Wayne Rooney had this to say before Messi’s move to the MLS.
Messi has 3 goals and 1 assist in two games for Inter Miami so far 👀 pic.twitter.com/82nX5TGA4j
Neal 🇦🇺 @NealGardner_
Yeah, this is getting silly. If Messi plays a full MLS season, injury free, he probably ends up with 50+ goals, yeah?
MLS Buzz @MLS_Buzz
Messi has scored 3 goals in 60 minutes of playing for Inter Miami
He didn’t have a pre-season and came into the worst team in MLS
It shouldn’t have come as any surprise that Messi would make a major splash. He already wowed fans with a game-winning free kick in stoppage time on Friday against Cruz Azul:
That came after an introduction in the 54th minute, however. On Tuesday, he dominated from the opening whistle.
Granted, Atlanta United’s defense proved to be about as effective on Tuesday night as trying to stop a leak with a colander. It wasn’t exactly a banner showing from the team’s midfield or defense.
But Messi has done this to clubs in La Liga, Ligue 1 and at the international level. He’s fresh off a World Cup triumph. He hasn’t appeared to lose too much of a step, and that’s a scary thought for MLS clubs that aren’t on the level of other competitors he’s faced in his career.
The thought of what a healthy Messi might accomplish in the league is frightening. He’ll set records that may not be broken for quite some time, and he may dramatically lift the prospects of cellar-dwelling Inter Miami in the process.
It’s his league now. Sit back and enjoy the show.
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