Lionel Messi trophies: What could he win at Inter Miami?

Can confirm: Lionel Messi is quite good at this soccer thing.

The GOAT, who announced last week he intends to join Inter Miami CF this summer, could soon add to his illustrious trophy collection for club and country. He's just six months removed from winning the World Cup with Argentina and poised to leave behind glittering stops at FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.

In MLS, how would Messi improve on his 43-deep collection and grab sole ownership of the world record?

Likelihood: Very Low

Honoring the best regular-season team in MLS, the Supporters' Shield recognizes the league's top squad spanning from MLS is Back weekend (Feb. 25 this year) to Decision Day (Oct. 21 this year). It's a testament to staying power and consistency across the late winter, spring, summer and early fall, a measure most leagues worldwide use to determine who's called that year's champion.

Inter Miami aren't mathematically out of contention at the halfway point of the 2023 season, despite earning just 15 points from 17 games (5W-12L-0D record). But they're 25 points off the pace of league leaders FC Cincinnati, a sizable gap to make up.

For most of the past half-dozen years (the COVID-19 season notwithstanding), the Shield winners have finished right around 70 points. That's probably out of reach for the Herons in 2023, who sit 27th of 29 teams overall.

Likelihood: Low

Making the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs? That's a realistic possibility for the Herons, even though they're currently last in the Eastern Conference table (15th place). Each conference's top nine teams qualify, an expanded structure that allows for more teams to get a taste of postseason soccer, and a Messi-fueled run is not too hard to envision. Right now, they're only seven points off the pace.

Making, and then winning, MLS Cup 2023? Inter Miami's current form, even with Messi (or further signings) providing a boost, presents much slimmer odds. We are not saying it's impossible – MLS remains parity-driven and fiendish to predict. But we are saying it's difficult to see this one bearing out, unless La Rosanegra do a complete 180 and get hot.

MLS Cup presented by Audi is set for Dec. 9 and will be hosted by the higher seed, determining the league's champion. Check out the new structure here.

Likelihood: Wild card

The new, expanded Leagues Cup gets underway July 21 and carries through Aug. 19. For those unfamiliar with the mid-year tournament, here's the simple rundown:

• An official Concacaf competition where all 47 clubs – 18 from LIGA MX and 29 from MLS – will play in a World Cup-style tournament that qualifies its top three clubs for the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup.
• MLS and LIGA MX will pause their respective league seasons.
• The champion must win seven games, starting with two group-stage matches and carrying through five single-elimination knockout matches. The top two teams from each group will advance.
• All games are hosted at MLS stadiums throughout the U.S. and Canada.

The third bullet point is where Messi and Inter Miami fans should focus, as it outlines the path to a trophy. And it presents a possible debut date (though unconfirmed) for this 35-year-old megastar: the Herons' July 21 opener vs. LIGA MX's Cruz Azul. They'll also meet MLS rival Atlanta United on July 25, determining who advances.

Messi opening his MLS career with a Leagues Cup title? That'd be pretty cool.

Likelihood: Right in the mix

Despite their league struggles, Inter Miami are only two games away from lifting a trophy. That's the byproduct of making the club's first-ever US Open Cup semifinal, an Aug. 23 visit to high-flying FC Cincinnati and their TQL Stadium fortress. And, yes, there's a good chance Messi would feature if everything indeed comes to pass.

Should Inter Miami handle FCC, they'd book a Sept. 27 final vs. either Houston Dynamo FC or Real Salt Lake. Hint: Herons fans should hope they get Houston in the final, as they'd host that matchup with a 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup berth, prize money and silverware up for grabs.

Certainly not guaranteed, this is the easiest path towards Miami's first-ever trophy since beginning play as a 2020 expansion team. Messi would also snag a 44th trophy during his club and country career, surpassing former teammate Dani Alves for the world record.

Likelihood: Wait for 2024 (or beyond)

The expanded, rebranded, 27-team Concacaf Champions Cup arrives in 2024 and up to 10 MLS teams can qualify. While the 2023 version is over, here are future paths in:

• MLS regular season and Audi MLS Cup Playoffs: 5 teams (guaranteed)
• Leagues Cup: 3 teams (must qualify on merit)
• US Open Cup: 1 team (champion only)
• Canadian Championship: 1 team (champion only)

Messi, who won four UEFA Champions League titles at FC Barcelona, could land any of the top three bullet points. The last one isn't a possibility since Miami are in the US and only the league's three Canadian teams are in the mix.

Whoever wins the CCC gets a FIFA Club World Cup spot. Messi won four such titles while playing for Blaugrana.

Likelihood: Strong

While not a club competition, there's a chance Messi could add a trophy on the international stage while representing Inter Miami. The expanded 2024 Copa América will be hosted two summers from now in the United States, and La Albiceleste are the competition's reigning champions after beating Brazil, 1-0, in the 2021 tournament that featured only South American nations.

Messi, with a nation-leading 102 goals in 174 appearances, is the most decorated player in Argentina's history. Fans are hoping their captain keeps playing for years to come, possibly even through the 2026 World Cup getting co-hosted across the US, Canada and Mexico (where they're also defending champions).

Lionel Messi & Inter Miami: Would a playoff run be possible?