Can Inter Miami be stopped after latest recruitment drive?

Less than three months removed from its first MLS Cup championship, Lionel Messi's Inter Miami shows no signs of a letdown.

The Herons have assembled one of the strongest rosters in Major League Soccer history heading into a season that begins this weekend and bookends around the biggest event of them all, the World Cup hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The ageless Messi — he turns 39 in June — is coming off his second straight MVP award, the first player in MLS history to accomplish that feat. He just keeps adding to a legacy that already ensures he'll be remembered as one of the greatest ever to play the beautiful game.

"He's a quiet guy, but on the pitch he transforms into an animal," teammate Yannick Bright told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport. "After all he's won, he never wants to lose, not even in training."

Messi is hardly going it alone in Miami, which pulled off an impressive reload after bringing a title to South Florida.

MLS goalkeeper of the year Dayne St. Clair was lured away from Minnesota United, addressing the club's biggest area of concern. German Berterame arrived from Liga MX's Monterrey to fill a designated player spot, giving the Herons another dynamic threat up front. Newcomers Micael, Sergio Reguilon and David Ayala should help the club cope with the departures of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

Miami begins its title defense Saturday night with a prime-time matchup against Los Angeles FC at the iconic Coliseum, which is expected to draw a crowd of more than 60,000.

Messi dealt with a muscle issue during the preseason, which put his availability for the opener in question. But he returned to full training this week and is expected to play.

Adding to the excitement in Miami, the Herons will hold the first game at their new Freedom Park stadium on April 4. The 25,000-seat facility completes a more than decade-long quest to build a soccer-specific stadium within the city.

Miami's possible challengers

The Vancouver Whitecaps, who were bolstered by the summer signing of longtime German star Thomas Muller, reached the final of both the MLS Cup and CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2025.

They came up short in both games, losing 3-1 to Messi's squad for the league title and 5-0 to Mexico's Cruz Azul for the continental championship. With Muller set for his first full season in MLS, the Whitecaps are eager to bring home a trophy.

Los Angeles FC could be the strongest club this side of South Florida, with Son Heung-Min also set for full campaign after his midseason arrival from Tottenham Hotspur provided a dynamic pairing with Denis Bouanga.

"I let Messi win this year," Son joked during a December visit to Tottenham, "but next year … we'll be at the top."

Also keep an eye on the Philadelphia Union, which claimed the Supporters' Shield for the league's best record during the regular season, and Minnesota United FC with its newest addition, Colombian icon James Rodriguez on a short-term deal.

World Cup break

The league's 30 clubs will have to navigate a seven-week shutdown while the expanded World Cup is held in North America.

MLS stadiums in Atlanta, New England, Seattle, Vancouver and Toronto will host World Cup matches, and many of the league's training facilities will be utilized by nations from around the globe.

The unique schedule has led to some strange quirks in the schedule, such as Atlanta United going more than three months between home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

When MLS resumes play in mid-July, it will be interesting to see which teams do the best job of handling the long layoff.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer