Messi's Inter Miami surprisingly eliminated by "wild card" Atlanta United in MLS

Inter Miami, the indisputable leader of the MLS regular season that was played from February to October 2024, was unexpectedly eliminated from the playoffs.

Inter Miami, the team where Barcelona legends Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets (this one was injured) play, achieved this year a record breaking 74 points in all MLS history, scoring 79 goals and qualifying for the CONCAFAC as well as the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

But MLS is different from most football leagues in Europe. Earning the most points won't give you the victory, but the qualification for the MLS Cup.

As in NBA, the 29 teams in Major League Soccer are divided in two conferences, East and West. After the regular season ends in October, the MLS Cup Playoffs begin, from October to December. Eight teams then try to win a best-of-three round of matches.

Inter Miami eliminated by "worst" team from the Eastern Conference playoff

Inter Miami, having been the best team of the Eastern Conference Table, was assigned the supposedly easier rival, the "wild card" team: the eighth and ninth teams play an additional playoff match to earn the right to be in the playoffs.

CF Montréal and Atlanta United were eighth and ninth in the East Conference regular season. Atlanta United (the ninth, with just 40 points in comparison to 74 points Miami had) won the wild card game and went on to face Inter Miami.

The playoffs consist of three games: Inter Miami won 2-1 the first one, Atlanta United won 1-2 the second one. For the third one, played in Miami, Atlanta won 2-3, and move on to the semi-finals against Orlando City. After that, the will be a Conference Final and a MLS Cup final between the two best teams of each Conference.