MLS

Major League Soccer announced its Landon Donovan MVP finalists on Thursday, with the Inter Miami forward pair of Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez highlighting the list.

Other finalists included Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández, D.C. United forward Christian Benteke and Portland Timbers midfielder Evander.

Messi will present an interesting case study in what voters value most.

The 37-year-old continues to be an absolute menace. His 20 goals were tied for second in MLS, while his 16 assists tied for third, and he did that in just 19 games. Inter Miami were far and away the league's best team this season, registering 74 points, which was eight points clear of any other squad.

Did he play enough games to warrant the MVP trophy, however? That will be the question.

His teammate, the 37-year-old Suárez, tied him in goals with 20 across 27 matches, adding nine assists.

Benteke, 33, led all scorers with 23 goals in 30 contests, adding seven assists. D.C. United did not qualify for the postseason, however.

Evander, 26, tied for first in assists with 19 and added an impressive 15 goals across 28 games, completing 82.5 percent of his passes with 89 key passes. Portland just snuck into the playoffs, though a 5-0 defeat to Vancouver quickly ended the club's season.

Finally, the 25-year-old Hernández was fifth in goals this season (19) and tied for eighth in assists (14) across 27 games, leading the Columbus Crew to the No. 2 overall seed in the Eastern Conference. If there was anybody who might claim the MVP award over Messi, it would be Hernández.

Still, it's hard to argue with Messi's overall output and impact despite missing nearly half the season. Perhaps voters will dock him points for missed time—or perhaps he and Suárez will split some votes as teammates, hurting both of their MVP candidacies—but there's no doubt that Messi was the best player in the league when healthy.

Lionel Messi's decision to come to the United States and play in Major League Soccer as arguably the greatest player in the sport's history gave the league quite the international headline and generated even more attention.

And he is getting paid accordingly.

ESPN's Jeff Carlisle cited the latest MLS player salary data that was released Thursday and noted the Inter Miami star's annual guaranteed compensation of $20.4 million is more than the payroll of 22 other teams in the league.

That $20.4 million total is just his salary, and Carlisle pointed out Miami co-owner Jorge Mas previously said he is paid between $50 and $60 million in all with part of his compensation coming from the league's Apple TV deal.

Given Messi's contract and Sergio Busquets checking in as the league's third-highest paid player at $8.77 million, it comes at no surprise Inter Miami spent more than any other team in the league.

And the gap wasn't even close, as its $41.7 million was nearly $10 million ahead of Toronto FC and more than double the amount spent by 23 different teams in the league.

Here are the 10 teams that spent the most money this season:

1. Inter Miami - $41.7 million
2. Toronto FC - $31.81 million
3. LAFC - $22.08 million
4. LA Galaxy - $21.96 million
5. Nashville SC - $21.86 million
6. FC Cincinnati - $20.95 million
7. Houston Dynamo - $20.52 million
8. New England Revolution - $18.88 million
9. New York Red Bulls - $18.08 million
10. Austin FC - $17.60 million

While Inter Miami won the Supporters' Shield with an MLS-record 74 points this season, not every team that spent a significant amount of money even made the playoffs. Toronto FC, Nashville SC, New England Revolution and Austin FC didn't make the field despite being in the top 10 in money spent.

All of them spent more than the Columbus Crew, who are the defending MLS Cup champions and arguably Inter Miami's biggest threat in the upcoming playoffs. They checked in at 16th with $16.57 million in total spent but finished with the second-most points in the league with 66.

They also defeated Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup on the way to the title in that in-season tournament and could face Messi and Co. in a rematch in the Eastern Conference Final.

Of course, defeating Inter Miami will be much easier said than done in the playoffs, as teams will have to figure out a way to counter Messi. He is right in the middle of the MVP race despite playing in just 19 of his team's 34 regular-season games and finished with a head-turning 20 goals and 16 assists.

He already helped his club take home the Supporters' Shield and will now look to win the MLS Cup and further deliver on his notable contract.

The final two spots in the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs will have been determined by Wednesday night.

The Wild Card Round begins Tuesday as No. 8 CF Montreal hosts No. 9 Atlanta United in a winner-take-all matchup, with a ticket to the Eastern Conference first round on the line.

The following night, the No. 8 Vancouver Whitecaps FC and No. 9 Portland Timbers will battle in Oregon for the final playoff spot in the West.

Here is everything you need to know heading into these Wild Card matchups.

2024 MLB Cup Wild Card Round Schedule

Atlanta United at CF Montreal

Date: Oct. 22

Start time: 7:30 p.m. ET.

Broadcast: Apple TV (Free)

Moneyline: Montreal +140, Atlanta +175 (via Draftkings Sportsbook)

Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Portland Timbers

Date: Oct. 23

Start time: 10:30 p.m. ET.

Broadcast: Apple TV (MLS Season Pass)

Moneyline: Vancouver +230, Portland -105 (via Draftkings Sportsbook)

Predictions

Montreal def. Atlanta

Montreal will enter this game as a favorite in part because of the hot streak it is riding into the matchup, having gone 5-1-1 with three shutouts in its last seven games.

Atlanta, meanwhile, squeaked in to the Wild Card Round thanks to a close 2-1 win over Orlando, getting help from Charlotte FC's win over DC United and FC Cincinnati's victory over Philadelphia Union to secure the final spot in the East.

Montreal has claimed two wins over Atlanta this season, following up a 1-0 home shutout in July with a 2-1 road win during October's push to the playoffs.

The hosts' chances of pushing that record to 3-0 could hinge on goaltender Jonathan Sirois and the Montreal defense, which have combined to hold visitors at Stade Saputo without a goal for 325 straight minutes.

Josef Martínez is also a player to watch heading into the matchup. He has recorded six goals in five games, including an insurance goal in a 2-0 Decision Day shutout of New York City.

Montreal may have gotten the better of Atlanta so far this season, but the visitors will hope to upset their hosts with offense from players like Saba Lobjanidze and more quality goaltending from Brad Guzan.

The 40-year-old goalie, who has regularly been his team's best player this season, tied his own franchise record by making nine saves against Orlando to help Atlanta earn a shot at the Wild Card Round.

Portland def. Vancouver

Vancouver heads into the Wild Card matchup with the higher spot in the standings, but thanks to a scheduling conflict with the 2024 World Supercross Championships, will have to travel to Portland for its biggest game of the season.

The good news for Vancouver is that the team actually performed better on the road (7-6-4) than it did at home (6-7-4) during the MLS regular season.

Both teams have struggled down the final stretch of the season, however. Vancouver has gone winless in seven straight games and marked four straight losses, most recently a 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

Portland is winless in five straight, most recently playing the Seattle Sounders to a Saturday draw.

Despite the recent slump the Timbers finished the regular season as one of the highest-scoring clubs in the MLS with Felipe Mora, Evander and Jonathan Rodriguez each recording at least 14 goals.

Vancouver's chances of advancing could all come down to the Whitecaps defense. But after the Vancouver midfielders struggled to limit Salt Lake City with the chance to avoid the Wild Card Round on the line last weekend, the Timbers could have a shot to pull off an upset and earn a ticket to the first round.

Montreal and Atlanta are battling for the chance to take on Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF starting Oct. 25, while either Vancouver or Portland will head on to face Denis Bouanga and LAFC in a series that will kick off on Oct. 27.

Inter Miami star Lionel Messi collaborated with recording artist Bad Bunny for a new Adidas line.

The Bad Bunny & Messi Collection boasts exclusive designs for Adidas' Gazelle sneaker and F50 cleat.

"For me, and I suppose also for Bad Bunny, the Latin community has enormous importance in our lives," Messi said to ESPN's Luis Miguel Echegaray. "A large part of our fans are Latino, and there is a bond of language, culture and society that is very special. Now, living in Miami with my family, we are more aware of those ties that unite us as Latinos."

The collab arrives as Messi and Inter Miami are preparing for the MLS playoffs.

The club claimed the regular season Supporters' Shield with 74 points from 34 matches. It awaits either CF Montréal or Atlanta United in the best-of-three first round.

Messi, meanwhile, cemented himself as the MVP favorite despite only logging 19 appearances. He had 20 goals and 16 assists, which were each were tied for the second-most in their respective categories.

The 37-year-old capped off the regular season in style as well, notching a hat trick in Inter Miami's 6-2 victory over the New England Revolution.

Messi told Echegaray he hopes Miami advances "very far" in the postseason.

"The playoffs have just begun and the truth is that we are excited to continue winning titles and achieving objectives," he said. "We know it's not going to be easy. There are many teams that fight all season to achieve their goals, and now the most important part begins, where it is win or go out. I think they are going to be very even playoffs, and the details are going to define many games."

Messi arrived with sky-high expectations despite being into the twilight of his playing career. On and off the pitch, he has more than delivered for MLS.

Inter Miami star Lionel Messi is among the 34 nominees for MLS's MVP award for the 2024 season.

Teammate Luis Suárez also made the cut as Miami claimed the Supporters' Shield with 71 points through 33 matches.

Voting for the league's annual awards is split evenly between players, coaches and select members of the media.

While Messi is far and away the biggest star—and perhaps even the brightest talent even at 37—his MVP candidacy is undercut by the fact he appeared in just 18 MLS matches this season. He had an eye-popping 17 goals and 15 assists in those fixtures, but missing almost half of your team's games is tough to overcome from an awards perspective.

Yahoo Sports' Henry Bushnell nonetheless made the argument for the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Beyond the impact he had directly on the pitch, his presence transformed the image of Inter Miami and made the club attractive to other stars such as Suárez and a coach as experienced as Gerardo Martino. Remove Messi from the equation and there's no way Miami goes from 34 points and a 27th-place finish to the Supporters Shield in just one season.

Bushnell argued Messi's "god-like stature made Inter Miami a destination for players whom most MLS clubs couldn't attract or afford."

Riqui Puig had 13 goals and 15 assists with the Los Angeles Galaxy, who secured the top seed in the Western Conference. Cucho Hernández's 19 goals are tied for second-most in the league and he was the attacking fulcrum for the Columbus Crew. Los Angeles FC's Denis Bouanga matched Cucho's 19 goals, and that accounts for a third of his club's total output.

Messi has the stats to line up favorably against any other MVP contender and made a much larger impact on a per-match basis. Combine that with Miami's collective success and he's probably the heavy favorite at this stage.

Inter Miami could have Lionel Messi back for the first time since June 1 when they take the pitch for Saturday's game against the Philadelphia Union

Inter Miami head coach Tata Martino told reporters Friday that Messi is no longer on a minutes restriction from his ankle injury and may make an appearance in the upcoming contest.

This is Messi's second season with the MLS team, and he started in brilliant form before his injury with 12 goals and 13 assists across 12 games played. Despite missing so much time, he is still third in the league in assists and tied for 13th in goals.

Had he stayed healthy, he may have cruised to the league MVP award.

That is no surprise, as he is arguably the greatest soccer player in history. The injury came as he was adding another trophy to his resume in the final of the 2024 Copa América when his Argentina side defeated Colombia.

While he helped lead Inter Miami to a Leagues Cup title in 2023, he is still missing an MLS Cup from that resume. The side did not make the playoffs last season with Messi joining late but is in an ideal position to win the title this year even with the star's absence.

The Herons sit atop the Eastern Conference table with 18 wins, five draws and four losses. Their 59 points are well ahead of the top challengers in FC Cincinnati (51 points in 27 games) and the Columbus Crew (49 points in 26 games) and will position Messi and Co. with home-field advantage throughout the playoffs if things don't change.

Earning that No. 1 seed in the East is all the more important given the presence of the three championship contenders. FC Cincinnati won last year's Supporters' Shield and reached the Eastern Conference Final, while the Crew are the reigning champions and have the opportunity to move into the No. 2 seed with a head-to-head win over their rival Saturday.

If Inter Miami can stay locked in the No. 1 seed, it won't have to worry about a hypothetical matchup against either Ohio team until the Eastern Conference Final.

And Messi figures to be in excellent form by then if he is returning to the field as soon as Saturday.

Inter Miami CF is coming to, well, Miami in 2026.

The MLS club, which currently plays at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, announced Wednesday that it will move to Miami Freedom Park in the city starting with the 2026 season:

Michelle Kaufman of the Miami Herald noted the club's ownership, which includes soccer legend David Beckham, has been working toward securing a permanent stadium in Miami since its inaugural season in 2020.

"After years of dreaming, it is so exciting to be sharing that in 2026 Inter Miami will be moving to its long-term home at Miami Freedom Park," Beckham said. "Miami Freedom Park is the culmination of years of hard work and a desire to realize a vision and create a lasting legacy for the fans and the community of Miami and South Florida. I'm so happy to see that dream finally coming to life."

The 26,700-seat stadium will be part of a larger development that will feature a public park, entertainment venues, restaurants and hotels. The 2026 opening date is also surely not a coincidence, as it matches up with the United States being one of the hosts for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Inter Miami is one of the headline teams in the MLS in large part because of the presence of arguably the greatest soccer player of all time in Lionel Messi. They are in first place in the MLS standings this season and will look to add an MLS Cup to their trophy case that includes last season's Leagues Cup title.

It remains to be seen whether the 37-year-old Messi will still be suiting up for Inter Miami when the new stadium opens in 2026, but he has kept the organization in the spotlight and surely played a factor in ownership being able to secure its desired location.

For now, the club is focused on pursuing a title this season and will return to the field Saturday to take on the Philadelphia Union.

The Columbus Crew own Los Angeles FC when trophies are on the line.

Columbus defeated LAFC 3-1 in the final of the 2024 Leagues Cup on Sunday at Lower.com Field, repeating its victory over the same foe from December's MLS Cup championship game. The game was in doubt until stoppage time, which is when Crew star Cucho Hernández shifted into takeover mode.

He scored the go-ahead goal from outside the box in the 92nd minute and then assisted on Jacen Russell-Rowe's goal in the 94th minute to remove any doubt. It was also Hernández who started the scoring in the first half for the victors.

It was more of the same for Columbus against LAFC, as it also handled the Western Conference team with ease in a 5-1 victory in a regular-season matchup in July. Not even the addition of Olivier Giroud, who scored LAFC's only goal, could change the outcome when these two teams face each other.

That these clubs are so familiar with each other was only fitting given their paths through the Leagues Cup bracket, which can be found at the tournament's official website. While the Leagues Cup features MLS teams and Liga MX teams, neither Los Angeles nor Columbus faced a team from Mexico in the knockout rounds.

LAFC defeated familiar foes in Austin, San Jose, Seattle and Colorado, while the Crew went through Sporting Kansas City, Inter Miami, New York City FC and Philadelphia.

It set the stage for Sunday's showdown, and Columbus turned heads before kickoff when head coach Wilfried Nancy decided to start goaltender Nicholas Hagen instead of his typical choice, Patrick Schulte.

Hugo Lloris was Hagen's counterpart for the visitors, and it was the veteran who allowed the first goal when Mohamed Farsi deftly navigated through the LAFC defense and flicked a cross in for Hernández. The Crew star buried the opportunity with a header right before halftime and put the Western Conference team in comeback mode.

LAFC wasn't in comeback mode for long in the second half, though, as Giroud redirected a corner kick to score his first goal for his new club. The momentum had swung even before the equalizer, as Mateusz Bogusz appeared to tie the game but was ruled offside.

The visitors kept that momentum throughout most of the second half in part because Lloris sent away a wide-open opportunity for Christian Ramírez right in front of the net.

But Hernández—who also set up that look for Ramírez—was inevitable and clinched his side another trophy.

Inter Miami head coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino says that Lionel Messi will return from injury before the MLS playoffs, according to ESPN's Lizzy Becherano.

"The work is planned by the medical part with the physical trainers. But yes, he returns before the end of the regular season," Martino said, per Becherano.

The MLS regular season will end with Decision Day on Saturday, Oct. 19.

Messi has not played since suffering an ankle ligament injury on July 14 while playing for Argentina in the Copa América final.

Playoffs are then set to begin with knockout wild card matches on Wednesday, Oct. 23, followed by the best-of-three first-round series on Saturday, Oct. 26.

Inter Miami could clinch a playoff berth this weekend in several different scenarios, including a win on Saturday against FC Cincinnati.

Martino told reporters there is not yet a specific timetable for Messi's return, and that it was "foreseeable" that Messi would not be in Argentina's squad for its upcoming World Cup qualifiers. Messi was left out of the group that will face Chile and Colombia.

"He is not training with the group. But yes, he is already out on the field and working with the physical trainers," Martino said. "He is developing well... There is no estimate, because you are already starting to see how you feel as you add training on the field."

For now, Martino confirmed that Messi will sit out Saturday's contest against FC Cincinnati, per Michelle Kaufman of the Miami Herald.

The next date Messi could potentially return is a road game against the Chicago Fire on Aug. 31. The Fire has been anticipating the Miami star's potential absence since July, when the team offered fans discounts on future matches if Messi is unable to play.

Messi has played in 12 games for Inter Miami this season, recording 12 goals and 13 assists to set an MLS record as the fastest player in league history to 25 career goals.

Although the Argentinian soccer star has missed 13 of Inter Miami's 25 league games so far this season, a strong defense has helped Inter Miami achieve an MLS-best 16-5-4 record. The return of Messi before the end of the regular season could make the club a title favorite heading into the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.