MLS legend Bradley Wright-Phillips has shared his verdict on if Inter Miami can win the Supporters’ Shield this year.
At the halfway stage of the regular season, the Herons lead the overall MLS standings by two points having enjoyed an excellent year with Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets, with Inter Miami starting to look like the real deal.
Smart pick-ups like Julian Gressel, Matias Rojas and Marcelo Weigandt have also played a big role in Inter Miami’s incredible rise up the league table, with a playoff spot seemingly guaranteed even with some 15 games left to play.
And league legend Wright-Phillips has now predicted if Inter Miami can with the Supporters Shield.
Inter Miami now the ‘favoritoe’ to go all the way in Supporters’ Shield race
Speaking to MLS’s official website, the former New York Red Bulls striker tipped Inter Miami to win the Supporters’ Shield, with Wright-Phillips now convinced after the Herons’ recent win against MLS Cup holders Columbus Crew.
Whilst Messi and Suarez are away for the next four weeks, Inter Miami have shown in their last two games that they do not need their superstar attackers to win games in MLS, with Leonardo Campana and Leo Afonso stepping up.
And the back-to-back wins have now turned Wright-Phillips’ head in his thinking on who will win the Supporters’ Shield, with Inter Miami his pick to go all the way this season for the unofficial MLS title.
“I’ve doubted Inter Miami the last few weeks. But the performance they put in against Columbus Crew, if they play like that and continue to get enough points until Messi and Suarez are back from Copa America, I see them winning the Shield. I have to put them as my favorite right now.”
Herons should believe they can win the Supporters’ Shield
Inter Miami have transformed in the last 12 months from MLS Wooden Spoon contenders to one of the best sides in the country, with the Messi project living up to expectations.
And the Herons should firmly believe this year that they can win both the Supporters’ Shield title as well as MLS Cup, with a domestic double on the cards if Inter Miami can maintain their current form.
Indeed, Messi and company will have their work cut out when they return this summer, yet with Inter Miami in top form, there’s a good chance that the Florida franchise can go all the way in winning the Supporters’ Shield.