Lionel Messi’s Dominance With Miami Leaving Mike Greenberg In Awe

Lionel Messi has taken MLS by storm, and he hasn’t even played a league match in his first six games.

Inter Miami beat the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park in the Leagues Cup semifinal Tuesday and advanced to play Nashville at GEODIS Park on Saturday. Messi scored his ninth goal with Miami when he fired a shot outside of the box that blew past Union goalie Andre Blake. It continued his dominant run in the Leagues Cup, which has brought in increased business and attention to a side that is at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

The Argentinian’s incredible run has even impressed Mike Greenberg.

“… Look, I don’t pretend to be the world’s most authority on soccer, but what’s becoming just evident is he’s so much better than everyone they’re playing,” Greenberg said on ESPN’s “Get Up” on Wednesday. “It’s sort of like I’m envisioning — if LeBron (James) went overseas … he would score 80 points a game because he’s so much better. That’s what Messi looks like.”

To a layman, this might seem like an older NBA player going to China and dominating inferior competition. And while MLS isn’t the top league in soccer, it’s not a cakewalk either.

Top players like Gareth Bale, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Carlos Vela played well in their first seasons in MLS, but not at this level. Greenberg’s example of James going overseas and dominating is a closer example of what Messi has done in his first six matches with Inter Miami. What he has displayed is that he still is the best player in the world.

It still might not be the best look for MLS, but commissioner Don Garber might not care as long as there are more eyes on the product.