🐐 Nine potential future headlines about Lionel Messi in Concacaf

Freedom to dream

“Reporting” from Miami

Lionel Messi will debut for his new club, Inter Miami, tonight in Leagues Cup play against Cruz Azul. But already people are thinking about what comes next.

Multiple people - not me! - asked Inter Miami manager Tata Martino about the team’s path to the Concacaf Champions Cup, even using the updated tournament name.

Martino noted that it is a goal for the team. And, Inter Miami does have multiple paths to continental competition still available, notably the U.S. Open Cup which sends its winner to the CCC and the Leagues Cup, which begins tonight and sends the top three to the Concacaf competition.

It’s free to dream, so let’s dream of a few potential future headlines we might see when Lionel Messi and Co. make it to Concacaf competition! Feel free to add your own:

“It’s very beautiful” - Messi shocks with first words of English in CCC trip to Trinidad and Tobago for Port of Spain showdown

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Messi’s status in doubt as organizers scramble to repair field at national stadium mere hours after Bad Bunny concert

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Nine-man Inter Miami tops eight-man Cobán Imperial after skirmish sees red cards fly

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Top 10 Messi moments vs. Atletico Madrid as he prepares for first contest vs. Atletico Ottawa

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Inter Miami, Messi denied entry to expanded Club World Cup by staunch Saprissa side

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“We’ve always respected Olancho FC” Messi insists on arrival in Honduras

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The FASt and the furious: Messi, Miami left fuming after shock in El Salvador

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‘Haitian Messi’ matches Argentine one as Don Bosco FC draws Inter in Haitian clubs’ return to Concacaf competition

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‘It was thanks to Getting CONCACAFed’ - Messi credits obscure newsletter for keeping him prepared en route to CCC championship

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Looking for more ‘serious’ Leagues Cup coverage?

• I joined the Extra Time crew to preview every single group, giving a quick look at each Liga MX team

• I’ve written two pieces for the tournament’s official site, where I’ll be doing stories on the cultural implications around the competition and going deeper on a few players’ stories. The first was about how both old-school Miami Fusion/long-time Miami soccer fans and new arrivals are pretty stoked to see Messi. The second looked at businesses in Miami owned by Argentines and Latin Americans who are trying to capture the vibe around the city with special tributes to the World Cup champion.

  
  You clicking over helps convince them they did a smart thing by hiring me, so it’s appreciated!

• I joined the venerable Bet MLS podcast as their first-ever guest for quick handicapping chat.

• For MLS’ site I ran through 10 Liga MX players who will be familiar faces to fans of the league and also 10 of Liga MX’s biggest stars.

Hooray! Let’s Leagues Cup! And Women’s World Cup! Lots of soccer!