Messi after Supporters’ Shield win: “it’s time to think about what comes next”

After winning the first Supporters’ Shield in Inter Miami’s history, Lionel Messi spoke with Diego Valeri on the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, sharing his thoughts on the remarkable season the Fort Lauderdale franchise is having. The Argentine star played a pivotal role in their victory over the Columbus Crew on Wednesday and remains the central figure in Major League Soccer.

First, Messi expressed his satisfaction: “I’m happy, happy for this group. Honestly, we said it at the start of the year. We knew we had the players to compete for this, and we took charge from the beginning. We’re happy to have achieved our first goal, and now it’s time to think about what comes next”.

‘We struggled at the end, which shows what this team is made of’

Reflecting on the challenge posed by the Columbus Crew, Messi, who now has another trophy, added, “Today’s opponent was tough. We knew they were last year’s MLS Cup champions, the last Leagues Cup winners, and they also played in the Concacaf Champions Cup final. They’re a great team, well-coached. Even with an extra man, we struggled at the end, which shows what this team is made of.”

When asked about Inter Miami’s transformation, Messi said, “I think Tata’s arrival, along with players like Busquets, Alba, and Suárez, helped set a clear vision: we wanted to be protagonists from the start, to control possession, and challenge our opponents through our style of play. Adding key players made the team stronger both in terms of performance and personality.”

Messi continued, “We’ve tried to compete in every game. As I mentioned recently, we performed well in the 2024 Leagues Cup, despite missing several players. Throughout the season, we’ve dealt with many injuries and were rarely at full strength.”

He elaborated further, “For various reasons, it didn’t always come together, but the group faced some really tough matches. We had players involved in the Copa América, and we were missing key players for about five games. Despite that, we played against top opponents and achieved positive results, which speaks volumes about this team.”

Looking ahead, Messi remained clear about the team’s priorities: “I think records are secondary. While we have a chance to make history, that’s not the focus. Our main goal has been accomplished. In the playoffs, the first round is best-of-three, but after that, it’s single elimination, where anything can happen. We have the advantage of playing at home, where we’re very strong, and that gives us a significant edge.”