Lionel Messi has been in inspired form this year for Inter Miami when available, with the forward in contention for MLS MVP.
The Argentina international is one of the favorites to win the prestigious award, with USA defender Tim Ream saying Messi is his pick to win MLS MVP even with the Inter Miami star playing half of the available club games this year.
With league expert Matt Doyle also backing Messi to win MLS MVP, the 37-year-old attacker could be a shoo-in to win the award, joining the likes of David Villa, Carlos Vela and Sebastian Giovinco as winners of the accolade.
And Inter Miami teammate Jordi Alba has shared his verdict on Messi winning MLS MVP.
Messi backed to win ‘all the awards’ between now and retirement
Speaking to the press ahead of tomorrow’s play-off tie against Atlanta United, Alba backed Messi to win MLS MVP, with the fullback also claiming that the Argentine ‘deserves all the awards’ that can be won before he retires.
With Messi the reigning Ballon d’Or holder and still one of the best attackers in the world, it makes sense that the forward will keep winning as much as he physically can between now and when the 37-year-old eventually hangs up his boots.
And Alba predicts Messi to remain one of the best players in the world for at least a few more years, with the Inter Miami defender confident that his former FC Barcelona teammate will win MLS MVP this season.
Alba said: “Every time you ask me, I think that he deserves all the awards that they can give him. I think he is the best player in the world, he is by far above the rest and that will be the case until he retires. I’m sure he will win it, and if not, it will be a decision made by no-one but the people who voted.”
Support for Messi to win MLS MVP is becoming too loud to ignore
With Benjamin Cremaschi backing Messi to win MLS MVP with support for the forward to claim the award growing louder and louder, there’s a real chance that the Inter Miami star will scoop up the accolade in the coming weeks.
The MLS play-offs starting this week will only strengthen Messi’s claim for MVP if the Argentine performs in the post-season, a likely event given how good the Inter Miami captain has been in recent weeks.
And if Messi can push the Herons to MLS Cup glory, the calls to win MVP will be justified, even if the forward has hardly featured for Inter Miami this year.