Inter Miami CF clinched the 2024 Supporters' Shield after a thrilling 3-2 victory against the Columbus Crew on October 2 (local time) night in Ohio. This achievement marks their first Major League Soccer (MLS) trophy since joining the league as an expansion team in 2020.
Lionel Messi was the star of the match, scoring two goals to help his team secure the win. Luis Suarez added another goal to the tally. The game took a turn when Columbus Crew's Rudy Camacho was sent off in the 63rd minute, giving Miami an advantage.
Watch Messi celebrate the victory:
Goalkeeper Drake Callender played a crucial role by saving a penalty from Cucho Hernández just before the final whistle, ensuring 3 points for Miami.
"I am happy. Happy that we did it. At the beginning of the year, we knew that this was a group to fight for this. We took charge from the beginning, we had the players to do this. I am happy to secure the first objective, and we're thinking of the next," Messi told Apple TV.
With this latest addition, Messi's trophy cabinet continues to grow, bringing his career total to 46 titles. His illustrious football career includes 10 La Liga championships, four Champions League wins, two Copa América titles and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This is Leo’s second title with the American club.
Inter Miami's rise this season has been remarkable, largely due to the contributions of Messi and Suarez in their first full seasons with the team. Together, they've scored 35 of the team's 72 goals in 31 matches. Despite missing some games because of injury and international duties, Messi leads the team in assists and overall goal contributions in just 16 appearances.
The Supporters' Shield is one of the two major trophies in MLS, awarded to the team with the best regular-season record. By securing this trophy with 68 points in 32 games, Inter Miami have guaranteed home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. This puts them in a strong position as they aim for the MLS Cup.
Sixteen different teams have won the Supporters' Shield, with LA Galaxy and D.C. United leading with four titles each. Inter Miami now join this list, showing how far they've come since their debut in 2020.
