Doug McIntyre

Football journalist

The ultimate goal for Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates this season is obvious: hoist the MLS Cup as confetti rains down after the league’s championship game on Dec. 7.

A big step toward that goal for GOAT and coach Tata Martino’s team could come Wednesday night when the Herons face reigning MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew in the Ohio capital with a chance to clinch the regular season title Season 2024 (live broadcast starts at 7:00 p.m.). :30 p.m. ET on FS1, FOX Deportes and AppleTV).

The MLS Cup remains the most prestigious title in American soccer. But the Supporters Shield isn’t far behind. And it would be a coup for Messi and Miami to clinch the title with two games left, as they were bottom of the Eastern Conference table when the living Argentine legend arrived in North America just over a year ago.

Dressed in the club’s signature pink, Messi – alongside former Barcelona running buddies Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets – promptly led Inter on a storybook run to their first League Cup triumph, beating 46 other top teams from the US, Canada and Mexico defeated vaunted Liga MX.

The King then added another crown, the 45th of his unprecedented career, when he helped Argentina win the 2024 Copa América at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium over the summer. Still, the Supporters Shield would be his first exclusively MLS trophy, a significant achievement, even if the priority this fall is clearly winning the MLS Cup in front of their own fans at Chase Stadium. By finishing first in the standings, the Herons would secure home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

It’s fitting that the club’s first opportunity to secure the Supporters’ Shield comes in Columbus, a city that has become the spiritual home of American soccer. And it’s fitting that it’s against this version of the team, the little darlings of the MLS, led by Colombian striker Cucho Hernandez and who have become a bona fide continental heavyweight thanks to the league’s risky, free-flowing attacking style, the rising star of one Trainer, Wilfried Nancy.

The storylines here almost write themselves. Not only are these two teams the undisputed best in the East, they are also No. 1 and No. 2 in the entire 29-team national circuit in terms of points per game. Wednesday could and should serve as a worthy preview of the crucial conference final later this fall. However, the playoffs rarely go according to plan. The only thing that is certain is that Wednesday’s competition is the highlight of the 2024 season so far. In fact, it might be the most hotly anticipated early October game in MLS history.

The math is simple. Miami, with the second-best away record (9W-2L-4D) in MLS, would clinch the Supporters Shield with a win at Lower.com Field. The team, which has played one game less than Miami, can now move within five points of the league leaders with a home win. Columbus recovered from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Messi-less Herons the last time these teams met, in the round of 16 of this year’s League Cup, which ended Miami’s title defense, although Martino’s side beat Columbus in MLS play in June.

Now Messi is back after overcoming the nasty ankle injury he sustained in the Copa América final. He has been virtually unstoppable since his return, with three goals and two assists in four games in September. His second-half goal last weekend against Charlotte secured his team a valuable point and set up a decisive lead on Wednesday.

Lionel Messi scores twice against Inter Miami

It’s not just about Messi; Columbus also has to worry about Luis Suárez. The Crew held the Uruguayan icon scoreless in his only appearance against them this year, although he did have a helper in the League Cup defeat. But Suárez, who currently sits third in the MLS with 17 goals (one more than Hernandez), is almost as dangerous in attack as Messi. And it will be even more difficult to stop him as Messi also looks for opportunities behind Nancy’s defensive line.

In addition to the Supporters Shield, Miami is also chasing history: Messi and friends would set a new points record by winning the final three games of the regular season – just one more reason why Wednesday’s main game is a must-see.

Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports. A former contributor to ESPN and Yahoo Sports, he has covered the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.

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