Oh, here we go. Inter Miami, a team that wasn’t even a glimmer in David Beckham’s eye until a few years ago, is now on the verge of breaking a Major League Soccer points record. Let’s just take a moment to appreciate how wild that sounds. Just last season, they were the team that everyone else circled on the calendar as an easy win. But now, suddenly, they’re being talked about as potentially the best MLS team ever? All it took was a sprinkle of Messi magic and a squad overhaul to get the pundits buzzing.

Inter Miami Next Game

So, is this team really the best to ever grace the league, or are we just blinded by the star power of Lionel Messi, who has singlehandedly turned Inter Miami into a must-watch sensation? Spoiler alert: it’s probably a little bit of both. But hey, let’s break it down and see if this Cinderella story holds up when you look beyond the glitz and glamour.

The Messi Effect: Turning Water Into Wine

Let’s not kid ourselves—Lionel Messi’s arrival in Miami is the single biggest reason why Inter Miami has turned from a bottom-feeder into a legitimate title contender. Remember that saved article about Inter Miami’s pursuit of the MLS points record? Yeah, that didn’t come from sheer grit or a perfectly executed five-year plan. It came from the sheer force of having a guy who’s been voted the best player in the world seven times casually playing in a league where he’s more used to running past defenders than actual traffic on South Beach.

Messi’s influence on the pitch has been nothing short of transformative. The moment he stepped into the DRV PNK Stadium, the energy shifted. He’s not just pulling the strings in the midfield; he’s practically orchestrating a symphony out there. And it’s not just the goals and assists—though, let’s be real, he’s dishing those out like candy at Halloween. It’s the way he’s made everyone around him better. His mere presence forces defenders to focus on him like he’s the only player on the field, opening up space for guys like Josef Martínez and Sergio Busquets to do their thing. Suddenly, a team that couldn’t string three passes together is playing like they’ve been reading Pep Guardiola’s tactical manual.

From Basement Dwellers to Points Kings

Now, about that points record. Inter Miami is on track to shatter the all-time MLS points record, a feat that would have been laughable if you’d suggested it last year. It’s like watching the last-place high school team suddenly start dunking on everyone after recruiting the neighborhood’s best baller. Sure, some of the credit goes to the supporting cast—they’ve made smart moves to bring in experienced players who actually know what they’re doing—but let’s be honest, without Messi, this team would still be figuring out which way to kick the ball.

If they break the points record, the narrative will be that they’ve redefined the standard of excellence in MLS. But, let’s pump the brakes a little. Are we really going to ignore the fact that Messi’s the X-factor here? If he wasn’t in Miami, the idea of this team sniffing the record would sound more like a bad joke than a realistic goal. Yet, here we are, witnessing a squad that’s gone from zero to hero faster than you can say “Beckham’s dream.”

Comparing Apples and… Mangoes?

When people start calling Inter Miami the best MLS team ever, it’s worth asking: compared to what? Sure, they’ve got a chance to break the points record, but how does that stack up against the dynasties of the past? Remember when LA Galaxy dominated with Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan, or when Atlanta United came out of nowhere to win the MLS Cup in 2018? Those teams didn’t have a player who’d already won everything in Europe just for the thrill of trying something new. They built their legacies the old-fashioned way: through a blend of smart recruitment, homegrown talent, and an unwavering team spirit. Inter Miami? Well, they just added a GOAT to their roster and suddenly found their groove.

And look, there’s no shame in that! If you have the chance to bring in Lionel Messi, you don’t think twice. But calling them the best team ever feels a little premature. They’ve got star power, they’ve got momentum, and they’ve got the potential to make history, but can they really be considered better than those teams that ground out results over seasons, not just star-studded months?

The Cult of Personality vs. Team Identity

But beyond the stats, there’s a more existential question here: is Inter Miami’s success actually about Inter Miami, or is it about Messi? It’s kind of like a band that suddenly becomes famous because they get a superstar lead singer. Are they really a great band, or did they just get lucky with a legendary frontman? Right now, Inter Miami is living the rockstar life. They’ve got sold-out stadiums, jersey sales through the roof, and every game is a spectacle. Yet, if you take away Messi, would anyone still care?

The Messi Effect has turned MLS into a global spectacle, with fans tuning in from Argentina to see their hero score on American soil. And that’s fantastic for the league—it’s given MLS a relevance it’s never had before. But as far as Inter Miami’s legacy goes, it’s a bit like adding cheat codes to a video game. Sure, you’re winning, but are you really playing at the same level as everyone else?

So, Are They the Best?

In a word: maybe. If Inter Miami does break the points record, it will be a massive achievement, no doubt about it. They’ve proven that with the right players, the right star power, and a little bit of Messi’s magic, even a team that looked hopeless can rise to the top. But to call them the best MLS team ever? That feels a bit like jumping the gun. They might have the most impressive star-studded turnaround story, but the greatest team ever? That’s a title that should be earned over years, not a few months of Messi brilliance.

So, let’s see what happens. Maybe they’ll set the record, maybe they’ll fizzle out, but either way, the ride’s been a wild one. And if you’re a fan of MLS, or even just a curious observer, you’ve got to admit—it’s a whole lot of fun to watch. Whether they end up as legends or just the flashiest team in recent memory, Inter Miami’s current season will go down in MLS history, one way or another. And if they do break that points record, at least we’ll know who to thank. Spoiler: it rhymes with Messi.