Messi Joins Sundowns In The FIFA Club World Cup
Possibly the greatest player to ever play the game, Lionel Messi, is heading to the FIFA Club World Cup to join South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns.
Messi capped off his latest achievement by scoring a hat-trick as Inter Miami defeated New England Revolution 6-2, securing a points record for a regular Major League Soccer campaign. This victory also qualified Inter Miami for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
The record eight-time World Player of the Year, who recently scored a hat-trick for Argentina against Bolivia in FIFA World Cup qualifiers, had seen his team fall behind by two goals against New England Revolution. However, Messi’s former Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez scored twice to level the score before the Argentine maestro took center stage.
Introduced in the second half, Messi played a key role in Benjamin Cremaschi putting Miami ahead. The 37-year-old then scored three goals of his own, including a powerful left-footed shot from outside the area and a side-footed finish. His 20th goal of the MLS season helped Inter Miami reach 74 points, surpassing the previous record of 73 points set by the Revolution in 2021.
Messi has previously won the FIFA Club World Cup with Barcelona in 2010, 2012, and 2016, including once alongside Luis Suarez. However, the upcoming Club World Cup will be expanded to a 32-team tournament, with Sundowns qualifying as one of three African teams based on their performance and ranking in CAF club competitions.
