Leo Messi gives one last great joy to Jordi Alba and Busquets

BarcelonaLeo Messi never tires of making history. At 38 years old and with over forty titles to his name, the Argentine has achieved a new milestone in his career: winning Inter Miami's first-ever MLS Cup. It was a particularly special match because it marked the final game for Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets in professional football. After sharing many years in the Barcelona dressing room – one of the greatest teams in football history – the three embarked on one last dance in the United States. They were joined by Luis Suárez and led by Javier Mascherano. Today, two of them brought an era to a close. The connection between Messi and Alba, or the control of the game that Sergio Busquets provided as the team's guiding light, is over. However, they did so in the only way they know how: by lifting a trophy after defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1, with two assists from the Rosario native.

A clash that also served as a rematch. The Americans and Canadians faced off last April in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals. On that occasion, Vancouver cruised past Inter Miami with a resounding 5-1 aggregate victory, with Jordi Alba scoring Miami's lone goal. The other rematch was between Leo Messi and Thomas Müller, who plays for Vancouver. The Argentine and the German have met several times throughout their professional careers, with Müller holding a record of seven wins to the former Barcelona player's three – now four. The most memorable of these encounters was the fateful 8-2 defeat in Lisbon, a loss for Quique Setién's Barça. The former Bayern Munich player challenged the Argentine upon his arrival in the United States last summer: "I'll get you again."

Three titles in five years

Inter Miami – co-owned by David Beckham – was introduced to the world seven years ago, in January 2018. However, it didn't make its official debut until March 2020. In these five years, the American franchise has won a Leagues Cup and the MLS regular season title. But if Inter Miami has stood out for anything, it's for the accumulation of talent in its ranks, most of whom have a Barcelona past. Tata Martino was the first to take the reins – although he was eventually replaced by Javier Mascherano. Among the players, Leo Messi, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, and Luis Suárez have made Barça fans remember – at times – those glory years that Hansi Flick now wants to bring back to Camp Nou. However, these memories are based on highlights and clips that have gone viral on social media, because few have actually watched an entire Inter Miami match.