Inter Miami are building momentum at exactly the right moment. A 2-1 comeback victory over the New England Revolution in Foxborough has lifted them to second place in the Eastern Conference, and more significantly, secured their place in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup with one regular-season match remaining. Lionel Messi was the decisive figure, providing an assist before scoring the winning goal with a trademark left-footed strike, capping a performance that drew lavish praise from coach Kily Gonzalez, who said Messi deserves both the MVP award and the Ballon d'Or.

The win provides welcome clarity after a turbulent few weeks. A 2-0 defeat at New York Red Bulls, in which Messi was managed off the bench following his trip to Spain to collect the Princess of Asturias Award, had snapped a three-game winning streak and raised questions about Miami's consistency without their captain from the start. A 2-2 draw at home to FC Cincinnati, where Miami twice surrendered the lead before Riquelme Fillipi equalised in the 90th minute, showed character but also defensive fragility.

The Revolution result changes the picture considerably. Miami now sit on 59 points, one ahead of New England in third, and have qualified for continental competition alongside Nashville SC, Vancouver Whitecaps, and the Revolution. They close their regular season at home against Charlotte FC on November 7, with playoff seeding still to be determined.