44 trophies for Lionel Messi! All-time record in ‘very good hands’ says Inter Miami boss Tata Martino after historic Leagues Cup triumph

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has made an immediate impact since completing a move to the United States, with the 36-year-old helping his new employers to Leagues Cup glory. Success in that competition has landed the mercurial Argentine the 44th trophy of his remarkable career.

Messi scored 10 goals in seven games for Inter Miami as they secured the first piece of silverware in their short history, with Martino – who has previously worked with the all-time great with Argentina and Barcelona – saying when asked about another piece of sporting history: “These individual achievements, as he says, he puts that aside and he values much more the collective achievements. But being the player with the most titles won in history … this record is in very good hands.”

Messi is not the only notable new arrival in Florida, with former Barcelona team-mates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba back by his side. It is, however, still a team effort, with goalkeeper Drake Callender eager to point out as much after saving two penalties and scoring one himself in a thrilling Leagues Cup final clash with Nashville that went all the way to a shootout. He has said: “Any time we play in a non-league competition, in a cup game, it puts us in a position to lift a trophy. Yes, the attributions we've had from Leo and all the new players have been amazing, but it's a team effort. It's the collective strive for greatness that led us to where we are right now.”

Inter Miami are about to turn their attention back towards MLS competition, with there plenty of work for Messi to do there if he is to end the 2023 season with a 45th trophy to his name – with the David Beckham co-owned outfit currently sat at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.