Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami Branded MLS ‘Villains’ by Ex-USMNT Star, Drawing Parallels to the Yankees and Lakers

In sports, unlike other cultural media, the term ‘villain’ doesn’t necessarily mean the bad guy. Rather, it could be the team or player, who is so good, that the opposition has no choice but to not like them. Does the MLS have such a team? Former USMNT star Taylor Twellman reckons Lionel Messi and Co. at Inter Miami have evolved into such a force. How does he feel regarding the development? Twellman said, “I love everything about it” while comparing the Herons to two legendary teams that dominated their respective sports.

In his podcast, ‘Offside with Taylor Twellman’, the USMNT star and reporter Paul Tenorio are in agreement that Lionel Messi and Co. are the villains the MLS needs. Regarding the Herons, he said, “Everyone hates them. Everyone wants to beat them.” Tenario believes, “By having this superstar team, it’s given the league something that they lacked for a long time, it’s the Yankees.” Twellman replied back, “It’s the villain.”

He further added, “There was a little bit of the villain with Beckham and Zlatan at the Galaxy.” But as per him, this is a completely different level considering how much Inter Miami is the talk of the town. As a result, in his promotional caption on social media, he also compared the Herons to the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Lakers.

Just like Inter Miami, the New York Yankees is an MLB team with a big payroll and superstar names. However, they also boast of 27 World Series titles! The situation is pretty much the same for NBA giants Los Angeles Lakers for whom icons like Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, and Shaquille O’Neal have lined up. The success of these sides has seen them become teams that their opponents hate!

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Inter Miami is also venturing into a similar territory. Following the signings of superstars like Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba, they have the strongest squad in the league, and by a distance. Also, valued at $1.02 Billion, they are among the richest sides in the MLS. Once the construction of the Miami Freedom Park finishes in 2025, their finances will further see a significant boost.

Hence, it is understandable why Twellman feels Inter Miami is the big bad villain of the MLS! But he is not the first to address the Herons with this title.

Alexi Lalas also agreed that Lionel Messi and Co. are the villains of MLS 2024

While responding to a user on X who declared the Herons are the MLS villains this season, Lalas said, “Yup, Inter Miami is must-see because of Messi…and they keep producing moments and results. The mark of a SuperClub is as many people want to see you fail as succeed…but they all want to see you.” It seems that Lalas believes that the Inter Miami captain has elevated the club’s stature. And, it’s hard to disagree.

Soon after Lionel Messi arrived at Inter Miami, they won their first-ever title, the League’s Cup. This was a significant boost to the club as Inter Miami secured qualification to the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Moreover, Messi’s presence is even benefitting the club off the pitch. Recently, Federico Redondo cited the Argentine maestro as a key reason for him joining the club. Rival fans have every right to be jealous of David Beckham‘s side.

Do you agree with Inter Miami being the villains of the MLS? Tell us below.

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