Lionel Messi Claims Title Once Held by Cristiano Ronaldo After Inter Miami’s Victory Over New England

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will never stop dominating the headlines together. Even though both have reached beyond their prime, the rivalry remains intact between the two undisputable GOATs. During Inter Miami’s recent victory over the New England Revolution, La Pulga not only guided his side to a 4-1 victory but also managed to claim the title that once CR7 held during his ‘peak‘ at Real Madrid.

The latest episode of Alexi Lalas’ State of the Union saw the panel of Alexi Lalas and David Mosse discuss the enduring impact of the Argentinian superstar at Fort Lauderdale. While heaping praise over Messi’s surreal scoring ability, Mosse narrated an interesting tale. 

“When Cristiano Ronaldo was at his peak at Real Madrid, there was a Madrid columnist named Alfredo Relano who said that when you have Ronaldo on your team, it’s like you start every match winning 1-0. And I kind of get that sense with Messi and Inter Miami right now,” said the columnist. Mosse believes that even though the Herons are down, Messi somehow finds his way to level against the opposition. 

“If he’s healthy and on the field for 90 minutes, it’s hard for me to imagine that he’s not going to either score a goal himself or tee somebody up with a great assist. So you almost go into every game already having a goal in the bank,” added the commentator. 

Clearly, Messi has left an enduring impact. Just like his long-term rival, the 36-year-old makes everyone feel like his side is about to take the lead. Interestingly, claiming this title from Ronaldo wasn’t the World Cup winner’s only achievement against Revolution. The skipper, alongside Luis Suarez, managed to equal David Beckham’s long-standing MLS record. 

Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez match David Beckham record during New England Revolution win

During the match against the New England Revolution, Lionel Messi notched a brace and generated numerous scoring opportunities, showcasing a stellar performance that earned him the MLS Player of the Matchday accolade in Week 11. This marks Messi’s second Player of the Matchday award, putting him on par with Luis Suarez, his former Barcelona teammate. 

Together, they match a milestone previously held by David Beckham and Landon Donovan of the LA Galaxy. Messi and Suarez are now the first duo since the LA Galaxy pair to secure multiple Player of the Matchday awards within the 11th matchday of the season. Additionally, Messi’s presence contributed to setting a new attendance record at the renowned Gillette Stadium.

Be that as it may, if it remains this way, Lionel Messi may continue to outshine Cristiano Ronaldo in many more records.