Inter Miami’s head coach Cristian ‘Kily’ Gonzalez asserts that Lionel Messi “deserves both the MVP title and the Ballon d’Or” due to his remarkable performances at the age of 39.
Messi scored once again last weekend, contributing to Miami’s 2-1 victory over Eastern Conference foes New England Revolution on the road.
This victory allowed the Herons to reclaim the second spot in the Eastern Conference, now sitting one point ahead of the Revolution as they gear up to face Charlotte FC on Decision Day.
Leading the MLS in scoring this season, Messi has netted 26 goals, while Evander (17) and his teammate Rodrigo De Paul (16) follow in assists with 15.
Gonzalez remarked, “I have no doubt he’s the best of all.” He emphasized, “No one can compare to him in terms of the respect he garners from his colleagues.”
“At his age and given what he accomplishes, I firmly believe he deserves the MVP and the Ballon d’Or. I truly hope he can achieve it,” he added.
Messi’s goal against New England also secured Miami’s place in the 2027 Champions Cup.
“I’m really pleased for the players and for the club; we’re progressing,” Gonzalez continued. “We’re at a club that is steadily evolving, and I have committed players. We needed to win and reflected on what type of team we wanted to be.”
Revisiting this masterpiece ahead of Saturday… #MIAvCLT https://t.co/NwenNe59wG
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) November 5, 2026
Charlotte currently sits fifth in the Eastern Conference and has already learned they will meet the Chicago Fire in the first round of the playoffs.
After a dominant 4-0 victory over Orlando City SC, Henry Kessler, who scored in that match, understands Miami’s potential strengths. “Clearly, it’s a tough matchup. They have many talented players, so we’ll need to be ready, and teamwork will be vital,” he said.
KEY PLAYERS
Inter Miami – Lionel Messi
In Miami’s most recent home match, Messi did not register any goal contributions, breaking a streak of 12 consecutive home games where he had been directly involved in goals since April.
During that period, he contributed to 23 goals (14 goals, nine assists).
Charlotte FC – Abdoulaye Doucoure
Rodolfo Aloko and Abdoulaye Doucoure both scored after coming off the bench during Charlotte’s win against Orlando. This marks the third instance of teammates scoring as substitutes in a single match for Charlotte, the first since Kerwin Vargas and Patrick Agyemang did so against New England in September 2024.
PREDICTION: INTER MIAMI WILL WIN
Miami is currently unbeaten in their last eight home matches across all competitions (W4 D4) following a three-match losing streak in August.
The Herons have scored in 36 consecutive home matches dating back to the Leagues Cup in 2025, with their last failure to score at home occurring against FC Cincinnati in July 2025.
Charlotte has recorded 4-0 victories in both of their last two games against CF Montreal and Orlando, both on home turf. This will be the 17th occurrence in MLS history of a team winning back-to-back games by four or more goals, although no team has achieved three in a row.
The Crown has maintained clean sheets in their last two encounters with Miami, including a scoreless draw in their last match in March. The only team to manage three consecutive clean sheets against Miami in regular-season play was Nashville SC during the 2020-21 season.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Inter Miami – 50.5%
Draw – 25%
Charlotte FC – 24.5%
Fan Take: This news highlights Messi’s enduring talent and the impact he’s making in MLS, which is crucial for the league’s visibility and growth. As more fans are drawn to the league through superstars like Messi, it raises the overall standard and excitement for soccer in the U.S.
Source: www.soccernews.com
