By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: Michael Pimentel/ISI Photos/Getty Images
Inter Miami secured its first-ever MLS Cup title with a 3-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps. Lionel Messi has led this group to the promised land. Messi is now a champion in three different countries.
The most epic moment of the game is when Messi recorded an assist when he kicked it to Tadeo Allende in the 96th minute to make it 3-1. Chase Staidum went crazy and the camera did a great job to capture head coach Javier Mascherano in wild celebration mode. It was an electrifying moment.
The goal was Allende’s ninth of the postseason. Messi finished the game with two assists.
“I’m very proud of the team,” Mascherano said. “I’m very proud of the organization. We worked together for the last 11 months, from the preseason. So the whole club is involved in this trophy.”
Inter Miami becomes the 16th franchise in the league’s 30-year history to win an MLS title.
“A beautiful, emotional moment for us, for the people of Miami, to be able to achieve the MLS objective,” Messi said. “It’s a very new club, so to speak. When we played before, we were lucky enough to win a title, but this was the real objective, to win MLS and be at the top of the American league, and luckily we achieved it.”
David Beckham is the co-owner of Inter Miami. He won the MLS Cup as a player in 2011 and 2012 with the LA Galaxy. Now, he’s a champion as an owner. What a lucky man Beckham is today. He’s a great ambassador for soccer.
“All the emotions just come out,” Beckham said. “In the last few minutes of the game, you’re hoping we get through it. All credit to Vancouver. They played a great game. They put us under a lot of pressure.”
It was a tough one for the Whitecaps. The loss will sting for a while. Whitecaps star Thomas Müller spoke after the game, expressing his disappointment with the outcome.
“We’re sad,” Muller said. “We’re proud of the season, proud of the boys, but on the other hand, very positive when I look at our future. First of all, congrats to Miami. They’re great champions, great team, great personalities, but we gave it away. We didn’t play the way we could have. We are still going and in the process.”
Muller is a class act. We hope that he becomes a champion someday. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he considers becoming a manager when he retires in the future. A true leader has high expectations of himself and for his team.
Messi was named the MLS Cup MVP. He has broken records time and time again. The man knows what it takes to win. He may be 38, but we don’t see him stopping anytime soon.
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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