Inter Miami CF have won their first-ever Supporters' Shield, with Wednesday's 3-2 victory at the Columbus Crew guaranteeing Lionel Messi & Co. will finish 2024 atop the regular-season standings.
Big picture
With their Matchday 36 win, Inter Miami have secured the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. Tata Martino's side also has home-field advantage at Chase Stadium through MLS Cup presented by Audi on Dec. 7, if they advance that far.
The Herons, who will compete in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, can still surpass the single-season points record the New England Revolution (73) set in 2021. To accomplish that, they must win their remaining two games:
- Saturday, Oct. 5 at Toronto FC - 4 pm ET | MLS Season Pass
- Saturday, Oct. 19 vs. New England Revolution - 6 pm ET | MLS Season Pass
Inter Miami will host a playoff game for the first time in club history when they face the East Wild Card winner (No. 8 and No. 9 seeds). Their Round One Best-of-3 Series awaits in late October, with the full postseason schedule announced at a later date.
Star-studded roster
Boasting arguably the most talented roster in MLS history, Inter Miami are led by Messi (17g/15a) and Luis Suárez (18g/6a). The iconic forwards are in the Landon Donovan MLS MVP hunt, providing leadership and world-class ability alongside fellow ex-FC Barcelona stars Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.
Inter Miami are far more than veteran stars, though, with Martino juggling injuries, international call-ups and multiple competitions to maximize the roster assembled by chief soccer officer and sporting director Chris Henderson.
Paraguayan international Diego Gómez, Argentine youth internationals Federico Redondo and Tomás Avilés, US international Benjamin Cremaschi, and Honduran international David Ruiz are all key young players. Goalkeeper Drake Callender remains crucial, joining two-time MLS Cup champion Julian Gressel as a domestic standout.
Defenders Marcelo Weigandt (from Boca Juniors) and David Martínez (from River Plate) are on loan from Argentine top-flight clubs. Attacking midfielder Matías Rojas joined mid-season, supplementing club all-time leading scorer Leo Campana and Robert Taylor.
Messi Effect
The 2024 Supporters’ Shield marks Messi’s world-record 46th trophy for club and country. It is the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner's third title since joining Inter Miami last summer following Leagues Cup 2023 and 2024 Copa América.
This is Inter Miami's second trophy since their club was transformed in July 2023 by signing Messi, Busquets and Alba. Suárez joined their project last winter to complete a Big Four.
Supporters' Shield winners
Debuting in 2020, Inter Miami are the 17th different club in MLS' 29 seasons to earn the Supporters’ Shield.
Below is every Supporters' Shield winner since the league's inaugural campaign in 1996.
SEASON | CLUB | POINTS (PPG) |
|---|---|---|
2024 | Inter Miami CF | 68 (2.13)^ |
2023 | FC Cincinnati | 69 (2.03) |
2022 | LAFC | 67 (1.97) |
2021 | New England Revolution | 73 (2.15) |
2020 | Philadelphia Union | 47 (2.04) |
2019 | LAFC | 72 (2.12) |
2018 | New York Red Bulls | 71 (2.09) |
2017 | Toronto FC | 69 (2.03) |
2016 | FC Dallas | 60 (1.76) |
2015 | New York Red Bulls | 60 (1.76) |
2014 | Seattle Sounders FC | 64 (1.88) |
2013 | New York Red Bulls | 59 (1.74) |
2012 | San Jose Earthquakes | 66 (1.94) |
2011 | LA Galaxy | 67 (1.97) |
2010 | LA Galaxy | 59 (1.97) |
2009 | Columbus Crew | 49 (1.63) |
2008 | Columbus Crew | 57 (1.90) |
2007 | D.C. United | 55 (1.83) |
2006 | D.C. United | 55 (1.72) |
2005 | San Jose Earthquakes | 64 (2.00) |
2004 | Columbus Crew | 49 (1.63) |
2003 | Chicago Fire | 53 (1.77) |
2002 | LA Galaxy | 51 (1.82) |
2001 | Miami Fusion | 53 (2.04) |
2000 | Kansas City Wizards | 57 (1.78) |
1999 | D.C. United | 57 (1.78) |
1998 | LA Galaxy | 68 (2.12) |
1997 | D.C. United | 55 (1.72) |
1996 | Tampa Bay Mutiny | 58 (1.81) |
