Despite nearing the end of his 22nd season as a professional footballer, there appears little sign that Lionel Messi's appetite for success and silverware is close to being satisfied any time soon.
The Argentine maestro has been instrumental in Inter Miami's historic run to a first MLS Cup final, which sees them take on Vancouver Whitecaps at their home ground of Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday evening.
After scoring 29 goals in 28 regular season games to seal a second successive Golden Boot, Messi produced a MLS record-breaking 13 goal contributions in the play-offs, with six goals and seven assists.
The 38-year-old bagged a double and set up another in the 4-0 Round 1 battering of Nashville that sealed a place in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. “I want to congratulate Leo for the game he played,” said Miami coach Javier Mascherano.
“He was the first one who guided us in high pressure. To see him press like that at 38 years old is crazy.”
He followed that up by scoring one and providing three assists as Cincinnati were brushed aside by the same scoreline in Ohio, with Mascherano hailing Messi and his teammates for playing “a practically perfect match” at the TQL Stadium.
“Weekend after weekend, he is incredible,” Mascherano added of his countryman. “It's a privilege to coach Leo.”
That sent Miami through to the conference final on Saturday, where New York City FC were thumped 5-1 with Tadeo Allende grabbing a hat-trick and Messi contributing a further assist.
“Leo has accustomed us to the extraordinary,” said Mascherano, who played alongside Messi for Argentina and Barcelona. “He's someone extraordinary, someone we'll never see again.
“Today, perhaps we're surprised that he didn't score, but he gave us peace of mind with the third goal, an assist that only he can see. He practically sealed the game.”
After an unhappy end to his spell in France with Paris Saint-Germain, Messi joined a Miami side sitting bottom of the Eastern Conference in the summer of 2023.
His impact was immediate as Messi, assisted by his old Barcelona teammates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, helped Miami win the Leagues Cup – their first trophy in what was only the club's third year of existence.
The trio of ex-Barca boys would soon become a quartet when Luis Suarez moved from Brazilian side Gremio ahead of the 2024 season that would ultimately end in a disappointing exit in Round 1 of the play-offs, despite finishing top of the Eastern Conference.
This season saw them finish third in the regular season, albeit only one point behind table-toppers Philadelphia Union, but go on to reach a historic first MLS Cup final.
“We are on the cusp of the game we dreamt about at the start of the season, the final game of the year, at our home, in front of our fans,” Mascherano said.
“It will also be the last MLS game in this stadium, so hopefully the fans will come support us as they did [Saturday] because with them we are very strong.”
Saturday's clash will see Alba and Busquets take a final bow before their retirements, while Suarez's future remains unclear as the Barca boy era in Miami nears its finale.
Standing in the way of Miami and the Philip F Anschutz Trophy will be a Vancouver side containing another modern great of world football in German forward Thomas Muller.
In August, the 36-year-old moved to the US after being released by Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, the club where Muller had spent his entire professional life.
The Muller trophy cabinet, like Messi's, contains just about every piece of silverware going for club and country from Fifa World Cup wins to Uefa Champions League triumphs.
And just like the Argentine at Miami, Muller would quickly be making history at his new club, scoring from the spot as local rivals Vancouver FC were beaten 4-2 to secure a fourth successive Canadian Championship.
Victory also meant Muller had surpassed Tony Kroos as the most decorated German player of all time after sealing the 35th trophy of his career.
“Today, I feel more about winning the Canadian Championship and not my personal collection of trophies,” Muller said. “It’s a nice number, but in the end, it’s the feeling with the boys, with the crowds, and that’s what I’m looking for and what’s enjoyable for me.”
Muller's seven goals in seven games helped Vancouver finish joint top of the Western Conference, behind San Diego FC on goal difference only, securing a club record for points (66), wins (18) and goals (66) along the way.
Under the guidance of Danish coach Jesper Sorensen, Vancouver then dispatched FC Dallas over two games in Round 1 of the play-offs, before a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over LAFC in the semi-finals.
San Diego were swept aside 3-1 in the conference final that saw American striker Brian White, who scored 16 goals in 21 regular season games, notch twice to secure their first MLS championship match.
And that sets up the intriguing battle between Muller and Messi in Saturday's showpiece, with the German currently coming out on top 7-3 in head-to-head clashes for club and country.
“It’s not about Messi against Thomas Muller,” insisted Muller after the win over San Diego. “It is Miami against the Whitecaps. They maybe rely a bit more on him than we do on me, because we are such a good group.
“But if it's with these big players, then it is more exciting for the entire soccer world. It is a perfect situation for everyone involved.”
