Is the Inter Miami MLS Cup playoff dream over?

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Inter Miami have three matches left to play in the MLS regular season. Six points currently separate them from the final playoff spot, which is occupied by CF Montreal.

Montreal have played one more match than Inter Miami and simply need a win in one of their final two games to eliminate Lionel Messi and company from playoff contention.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this, was it? Messi arrived with great fanfare and immediately helped Miami win the Leagues Cup tournament – a competition between MLS and Liga MX teams.

However, injuries and fatigue have prevented Messi from taking part in recent weeks. Miami lost the US Open Cup final to the Houston Dynamo and are on the verge of playoff elimination.

Of course, Inter Miami were one of, if not MLS’s worst teams prior to Messi arriving. In many ways, the team is marginally better with Messi on board.

The Miami defence is still leaky. It has conceded 50 goals this season in 31 games, the second-most goals allowed in the MLS Eastern Conference.

Inter’s offence hasn’t been much better, scoring 39 times. It is the sixth-lowest tally of goals in the Eastern Conference.

So, with such a poor attack and poor defence, it is actually fitting that Miami do not make the playoffs. Messi simply provided a midseason glimmer of hope to the Herons.

Messi’s injuries and lack of recent match time is reminiscent of David Beckham’s first season in MLS with the LA Galaxy. Beckham joined the Galaxy amid great fanfare, but his body couldn’t take the rigours of MLS after playing a full European football campaign.

Coincidentally, Beckham is the face of the Miami franchise and owns a portion of the club. Just like in 2007, when Beckham wasn’t able to finish the campaign, Messi looks highly doubtful to play in Miami’s final matches.

Playoff qualification looks unlikely, which means MLS’s biggest star won’t play in the postseason. But MLS fans maybe getting tired of Messi already. The price of tickets to matches have become a major talking point in the United States and Canada.

Some fans have been quoted $15,000 for a season ticket. The American love affair with Messi could end just as quickly as it began.

While he led Miami to the Leagues Cup and US Open Cup finals, Messi has only played four MLS matches since arriving in July. He scored one goal and assisted two.

If Miami can get a fully fit Messi in 2024, then the Herons could be the best MLS team of all time. But as long as Messi is unable to play a full season, Miami may continue to come up short.