Lionel Messi wins 44th trophy to become most decorated footballer of all time

With almost all of Lionel Messi's most iconic moments so far at Inter MIami coming in the Leagues Cup, it's only fitting that the cup in which he carried his new American team to glory has become the setting for one of his greatest records.

Triumphing 9-10 on penalties over Nashville SC to take home the fourth annual Leagues Cup, which includes both MLS teams and those from Mexico's Liga MX, Messi and Inter Miami have brought the Floridian city its first major trophy since the club's inception in 2018, as well as Messi's 44th trophy since his career started in 2004, making him the most decorated footballer of all time.

The Argentinian used the setting of the Leagues Cup to make an instant impact in Miami after arriving there during the summer, netting a brace on his debut, and subsequently netting 11 goals as he led the bottom-placed team in the MLS to seven-straight wins and its first ever trophy.

Messi's 23rd-minute goal in the final proved not enough for Miami to take home the title in regulation time, cancelled out by a 57th-minute equaliser from Fafa Picault. Neither team were able to break the deadlock before penalties arrived, with the resulting shootout extending to 22 penalties.

Both keepers were eventually called on to take penalties themselves, with Drake Callender keeping out his counterpart's effort to seal the victory.

It was Messi, however, who was naturally hailed as the hero, having turned the fortunes of the club around seemingly single-handedly just months after the sacking of embattled coach Phil Neville. Miami sit bottom of the MLS's Eastern Conference, with the competition set to restart after a month-long break this weekend.