FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — (AP) — This was how 2024 started for Inter Miami: Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, all former Barcelona teammates who won multiple titles together, sitting side-by-side after the first official training session of the new season.
And here’s the latest scene: Messi, Suarez, Alba and Busquets were sitting together again Wednesday night, holding their newest prize — the Supporters Shield, the trophy given to the top regular-season team in Major League Soccer.
Inter Miami will be the No. 1 seed for the MLS Cup playoffs, the team wrapping up that spot with a 3-2 victory at the Columbus Crew on Wednesday night. It was the league’s most-hyped regular season match of this season, maybe the most-hyped in a long time.
“I’m happy,” Messi said. “Happy for this group.”
Messi scored twice to push his total to 17 goals in 17 MLS matches this season, Suarez scored the eventual winner for Inter Miami on Wednesday, and goalkeeper Drake Callender …