MLS, you've been warned: Lionel Messi is back and ready to fire runaway leaders Inter Miami to glory

Messi's departure after the June 1 match against St. Louis City began what would become a more than three-month-long absence from the pitch for Miami. He originally left the club to lead Argentina in Copa America, where La Albiceleste claimed a brilliant victory over Colombia in the final. However, Messi departed that game in the second half with a severe ankle sprain, an injury that sidelined him until this past weekend.

He missed the 2024 MLS All-Star game, the 2024 Leagues Cup and nine regular-season matches during that span. And almost inexplicably, Miami didn't falter. Rather, they excelled.

They won eight of those nine MLS matches, with their lone loss being a shocking 6-1 defeat to Eastern Conference rivals FC Cincinnati. The game felt like an anomaly at the time, and in the grand scheme of things, is a blur in their campaign.

In the second-ever edition of the Leagues Cup, meanwhile, reigning champions Miami looked to run it back without Messi, but they fell short. His absence was well-noted, as they were outclassed in the quarter-finals by eventual winners Columbus Crew.

However, none of that matters now. Messi is back, and he returned with a bang. Now, with six matches left on the calendar, Miami have a chance to put their names in MLS history, and the Argentine himself can add to his impeccable track record of silverware, with 45 trophies already in the cabinet.

For his part, Messi simply picked up where he left off. Across 13 MLS matches this season, he has now scored 14 goals and laid on 14 assists, averaging 2.15 goal-contributions per game. That number is higher than any other player across the entire league this season. In the process, he became the fastest MLS player to reach 15 goals and 15 assists, breaking the mark set by Sebastian Giovinco, who managed to reach the same mark in 29 appearances compared to Messi's 19.

However, there still needs to be acknowledgement that Messi is yet to return to his best. Saturday was his first match in nearly two months, and his first for Miami in more than three months. He's yet to reach his peak for the club, and knowing that might be what makes his eye-catching return all the more terrifying.

“To be honest, I am a little tired, the humidity and heat of Miami doesn’t help,” Messi said in a post-match interview. “But, I was very eager to come back, it had been a long time away from the field. Little by little I started training with the group, I felt good, and that is why we made the decision for me to start. I am very happy, very pleased.”

Ahead of the match, Martino also shared how excited he was to have the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner back in his squad, saying, "we are going to once again have the best player in the world within the team, so we are all happy about that situation."

Martino was asked why he played both Suarez and Messi for 90 minutes against Philadelphia, especially with the Argentine coming off his lengthy spell on the sidelines, and the answer was predictable: when you have the best, you play the best.

“Look who was involved in the third goal," he said. "It is very difficult to take out game-changers like them because they show up and deliver at any moment.”

And did they ever deliver. Of course, that's not news for anyone who watches MLS; Messi has been doing that every time he's stepped on the pitch this season.

Despite playing in fewer than half of Miami's matches this campaign, the Argentine boasts a combined goal and assist total that only Portland Timbers phenom Evander and reigning MLS MVP Lucho Acosta can better. They both have 29 goal contributions compared to Messi's 28, though have played at least nine more regular season matches than the World Cup winner.

Messi's influence on the Miami roster, as well as his performances, simply cannot go unnoticed. This Miami squad, which includes stars such as Messi, Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, makes it a super-team built to win championships. They have the chance to not only claim the MLS Supporters' Shield, but blow out the competition competing for it.

The regular season, though, is merely a stepping stone in the grand scheme of Miami's plan. "As we said at the beginning, we know the squad we have, and [winning the Supporters' Shield] is a goal. We are realistic and take responsibility," Messi said Saturday. "The truth is that throughout the year, we had a lot of bad luck with injuries. We were never at full strength – due to one thing or another, we were always missing players, but the team always pushed forward. Today, we are in first place with a big lead, and deservedly so. Hopefully, we can finish at the top for what it means and for what's to come after as well."

At the top, they are, but will they stay there? In truth, not much stands in Miami's way, in terms of the regular season at least. They have a rematch against the Crew on October 2, a game that may serve as a preview for the Eastern Conference final come the playoffs, but that is the only difficult-looking fixture remaining on their schedule.

With six matches left and a playoff spot already clinched, it's time for Miami to lock in and show why they should be considered as MLS' best. Messi's return only strenghens their case, and his team-mates realise it, too.

“Of course, two months is a long time, for anyone, but he’s the best player there is,” winger Robert Taylor said Saturday. “So, I don’t think we’ll see much of a different Messi than we’ve seen before.”

With Messi back to doing Messi things, there's no reason for Miami to not claim the MLS Supporters' Shield, secure the No.1 overall seed in the play-offs and - ultimately - win the Eastern Conference title. And what then?

It's MLS Cup or bust for this roster. Their superstars don't have many years left, and it's unreasonable to expect that they compete at this same intensity year after year. As it stands, their squad is built on excellence, the foundation of veteran leadership, experience and blissful youth - such as budding prospects Diego Gomez and Benjamin Cremaschi. With that all combined, Martino has now created a team capable of achieving the highest standard in this league.

They can't afford any missteps, and Miami must prove that the July thumping by FC Cincinnati was truly an aberration. The weight on Messi's shoulders now is massive.

The team know that, and so does he, but Messi is built for this. He's built for pressure; he's built for the biggest moments. He's spent his entire professional life building that confidence. You don’t become an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner or claim 45 career trophies without it. The only question now is, can he add more?