The 37-year-old continues to dominate headlines as the biggest name in the American division. He has an awesome 17 goals to his name in just 18 MLS matches in the 2024 season, helping lift the Herons to the top of the Eastern Conference.

Messi has missed almost half of the Florida club's MLS matches this season, however, and they have lost just three of those they have played in his absence, which Twellman says proves they are not reliant on the Argentine sensation.

"Seventeen goals and 15 assists in 18 games is alien-like, that’s out of this world type of production, but I ruffled some feathers when I said Miami won the Shield when they won eight of nine games without Messi," the ex-USMNT star said on Twellman's Takes on the subject of the MVP award.

"In 2023, Inter Miami won 78 per cent of their games with him, only 12% without. The big question this year was how would Miami survive without Messi in the summer, they answered that, they won eight of nine, so to keep the same points per game with or without him, nobody predicted that."

The ex-Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star will likely be involved when Miami return to MLS action with a game against New England Revolution on Saturday.