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Reports of Lionel Messi’s decline are greatly exaggerated: Now for the Club World Cup

Nestor Watach •

“The storm stopped and the sun came out.”

Javier Mascherano was in the mood for some poetry after Inter Miami brought an end to a four-match winless streak with a dazzling 4-2 victory over Montreal.

The Inter Miami boss is not the first person inspired to go all elegiac by the great Lionel Messi. Have you ever watched one of his games commentated on by Ray Hudson or Peter Drury?

We’ll give you one guess who scored twice, assisted another and was named Man of the Match.

Miami’s poor form of late has led us to ponder if we’re now witnessing an underwhelming final furlong of Messi’s brilliant career. He’ll be 38 next month.

At times of late, Mascherano’s men have looked hapless. Like lambs to the slaughter when it comes to the serious opposition awaiting them at this summer’s greatly expanded Club World Cup.

But on Wednesday evening, they served up a reminder that they’re home to arguably the greatest footballer in history.

“The team is united,” Mascherano told reporters in his post-match press conference.

“They want to get out of this situation. Everybody is pulling in the same direction.”

Inter Miami’s problem of late has not been Messi. It’s been a collective failing.

Provide the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner a platform and he’s still more than capable of making the difference.

In just his 37th regular MLS appearance, the Argentina captain reached the milestone of his 50th (and 51st) goal contribution. Twenty-seven goals. Fourteen assists. Outrageous numbers.

We’ve seen superstar signings in the Major League Soccer era, from David Beckham to Gareth Bale to Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

But not since the days of the NASL with Pele, Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer has North American soccer been treated to otherworldly, era-defining quality quite like this.

The opener was classic Messi. Laser-guided into the bottom corner from the edge of the penalty area. No chance for the ‘keeper.


“He makes everything look easy. He has accustomed us to that at this stage of his career,” added Mascherano.

“I always try to focus not just on what he does, but on his desire to play. Because at the end of the day, you see how contagious he is, how competitive he is, and it reflects.

“All of us have to see ourselves in that reflection. That’s the player that we have to follow because he shows us the way to be able to compete in a very good way.”

Messi’s late second, that put the result beyond all doubt, almost looked too easy. He split the defence with a one-two with Suarez before effortlessly dinking over the goalkeeper from close range.

It’s the kind of goal we’ve seen him score a hundred times before. One that could’ve easily been from his Barcelona pomp a decade ago.

We’ll have to wait and see whether the storm has passed.

Montreal were forgiving opponents and still scored twice on the night.

Inter Miami still look a long way off testing the European elite at the Club World Cup in the coming weeks.

But one thing we really ought to have learned by now is to never question Messi. Even in his twilight years, he’s still absolute magic.

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