'All of MLS have to be proud' - Lionel Messi and Inter Miami flip the script, suddenly embrace underdog role and are now league's last team standing in the Club World Cup

So here's the interesting thing: they didn’t even need Messi to do it. Not on Monday night, anyway. In fact, the draw - one in which Messi looked visibly frustrated that his side had thrown away a 2-0 lead in the 80th minute - was actually the Luis Suarez show.

The Uruguayan has undergone a miraculous disappearing act in the final third thus far in the CWC. A bit more conviction from him in front of goal against Al Ahly in the CWC opener would have seen the Herons run away with it. There are entirely valid criticisms of his ability to score goals, and fair qualms about his aging legs that can’t always keep up with his brain.

Against Palmeiras, though, he showed that there might be life yet. In reality, Miami advanced thanks to two moments of magic from the Uruguayan. The first was a smart dart into his own half, a touch to create space, and an angled left-footed pass onto a surging Tadeo Allende, who made the finish look easy.

The second was vintage Suarez: a quick move to his left, calculated ricochet off not one but two defenders, followed by a weak foot spank hit too hard for the keeper to respond in time. Even Suarez looked slightly surprised that he had rediscovered his 25-year-old self.

Questions remain about his ability to function as a top quality striker with any consistency. This is a man with aging legs. It would not be prudent to bet on Suarez to carry Miami through the tournament. His goals and assists per 90 minutes are halved from last season. But he showed up just on time.

Much of the dialogue around Miami this season has been about their ability to spend. In truth, they probably got it right last offseason, bringing in a mixture of depth and quality rather than swinging for the fences with an imprudent big name. Still, the players and coach have been vocal critics of MLS's spending rules.

Mascherano told GOAL that the Herons had a genuine interest in signing Neymar - but found themselves in a bind by the league's regulations.

"We cannot talk about Ney because we have nothing," he said. "Obviously, Ney is a great player. Every coach in the world wants him, but at the moment, you know the MLS rules about the salary cap. For us, in this moment, it's impossible."

Sergio Busquets echoed much of the same sentiment

"Hopefully (changes) can happen in the near future," Busquets said. “There are clubs that are working on it, others that are struggling more. It’s difficult with a league that has so many teams and operates in a different way, through MLS, which I think we Europeans aren’t used to. So, hopefully, it’ll happen little by little."

They both have a point. But that rather generously assumes that Miami would direct that extra cash towards depth pieces rather than, say, Neymar, Thomas Muller, Kevin De Bruyne or the litany of other European names they might be able to attract.

There's an argument to be made, in fact, that they've been prudent in maxing out. This CWC run has been just as much about the depth players as the star names. Benjamin Cremaschi was magnificent in the 2-1 win over Porto. Ian Fray and Noah Allen have been tireless in defense. Even Redondo has eaten minutes reliably. Mascherano promised before the season that Miami might lean on its role players

And they have done just that.

There are some who, rather bafflingly, found it in their locker to criticize Messi after the 2-2 draw. He had the audacity to fail to score, assist, or carry Miami to yet another miraculous win. In fact, they had to settle for a draw against one of the best teams in South America, and accept a point against a team that really should have won. The whole thing was tragic.

It is always a bit disappointing for the fans when Messi doesn't do something incredible. What didn't show up on the stat sheet, though, was all of the stuff he did off the ball. Messi got stuck in. He ran. He tracked back at the right times. He cut passing lanes. Even the yellow card he picked up for a slightly high challenge - something a less generous referee might have shown red for - drew cheers from Mascherano.

That scrappiness, that bite, has perhaps always been a little undervalued in Messi's game. From chirping at the Netherlands after the quarter final of the 2022 World Cup to exchanging words with Club America fans in preseason, the Argentine has never been afraid to express himself. And he did just that against Palmeiras.

Some have called it irritation, a captain misbehaving. In reality, it's passion. And watching the best player of all-time show that kind of underdog grit might be a serious boost for the Herons.

One thing needs establishing here: Mascherano was not on the hot seat before this tournament. Sure, Miami weren't exactly walking MLS, and aren't title favorites. But he isn't a terrible manager, and his close friendship with Messi makes him pretty much invulnerable, if not invincible, at the helm for the Herons.

But there were fair questions about his ability to manage a team and get his tactics right.

He has brushed some of those away in recent weeks, though. Mascherano is not a tactical genius, and may never be. His ability to inspire, tweak and serve as a figurehead, though, shouldn't be called into question - or underrated. He has said all of the right things to the media, insisted that Miami have the quality to get through the group. And perhaps most importantly, Mascherano has swallowed his pride a little bit.

He knows, here, that Miami can't control every game with the ball, and try to outplay their opponents. Coaches love to say that their teams have to "suffer" at times (translation: it might be hard to face better opponents - who knew?) It's a bit of a buzzword, but Miami have shown that it can ring true.

They have been outshot in two of three of their group games. Against Porto, though, they put more on target than the European side. They also created more "big chances" than Palmeiras. Are they also allowing chances? Sure. But they aren't clear ones. In effect, they're willing to allow possession, give up half chances, and, yes, ride their fortune a bit at times.

Let's face it: the onus was always going to be on Miami to show up for MLS. They had the easier of the draws among the three North American sides - seriously, a prayer for Seattle who had to face PSG, Atletico Madrid and Brazilian giants Botafogo. They are also the Supporters' Shield winners and set a regular season points record last year. That Messi guy might have added a bit more in the way of pressure, too.

One of the key storylines around this tournament is the fascination with MLS. Where does the league stand in the global pecking order? Can they cope with the big boys? Messi and Miami seemed to be the team - more than Seattle or LAFC - best equipped to answer those questions in the right way.

"It's an important night for MLS... all of MLS have to be proud of Inter Miami," Mascherano said.

And that, more broadly, is the point. Miami were shoehorned into the tournament - much to the chagrin of some around the league, but no doubt a good thing from the perspective of MLS Commissioner Don Garber. Their presence here can be considered a cash grab, of sorts, FIFA's' way of making sure as many eyes as possible rest on Messi - and thus on the Club World Cup in general.

But they have also either met - or, at this point, surpassed - expectations. Yes, the rest of MLS might be slightly envious. LA Galaxy, reigning MLS Cup winners, might feel hard done by. But an MLS side is in the last 16 of the Club World Cup, and that's vitally important. To put it another way: scoreboard.

The unfortunate truth is that Inter Miami will probably lose on in the knockouts this weekend. PSG are too good. They battered Atleti in the first game of the tournament, and after a Botafogo blip, came back to beat Seattle in style. They are the best club in the world by some distance, and playing as if they intend to prove it.

They will simply overwhelm Miami. A 38-year-old Messi won't be able to stop them.

But that's not really the point. What was once expectation could become a very American sort of heroic failure. Equip themselves well, show all of the right effort, hustle and scrappiness - the intangibles that have carried them this far - and Miami's campaign can be considered nothing but a success, regardless of the next result. Anything beyond that is simply house money.

PSG are a free hit. Few will begrudge Miami if they get battered, but show some fight in doing so. Perhaps there's something condescending in that notion, but it's all relative - and that isn't a narrative Miami can control, in any case.

Mascherano, to his credit, framed it properly.

"Obviously PSG are a really good team, they just won the Champions League. They are probably the best in the world at the moment so we are going to go in believing and excited to play quality like that," he said. "We're excited for the challenge. We're going to go to the next round with full belief."

The hard work has already been done. Four points against superior teams and a drab draw against an underrated one has been enough. Miami and MLS have made it. An already aging team has grown up.