Evander vs. Lionel Messi: FC Cincinnati & Inter Miami superstars chase history | OneFootball

By Joseph Lowery

One of the most delightful things about MLS, in my view, is that the league still features a slew of elite No. 10s.

Of course, attacking midfielders still exist all over the world, popping up in half-spaces and providing must-see moments. But the way MLS’s crop of top-tier central playmakers often run a game is unique. As chief soccer officers across the league tend to allocate far more spending towards the attack than the defense, there’s plenty of room for free-roaming, game-breaking No. 10s to take over a match, bend the opposition’s structure, and beat individual defenders.

Two of those elite No. 10s soon meet in the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs: FC Cincinnati and Evander host Inter Miami CF and Lionel Messi on Nov. 23 at TQL Stadium (5 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV).

Just what have those two players brought to their teams this year? And which club has the edge in their upcoming postseason meeting? Let’s dive in.

Evander

Midfielder · FC Cincinnati

Besting Messi in even a single attacking category is something worth writing home about – and Evander did exactly that on set pieces this year. The Brazilian is the only player in MLS to record more set-piece goals (three) than Messi (two), according to American Soccer Analysis’ data.

Evander’s penchant for producing magic in big moments helped him maintain his status as one of the league’s truly elite attackers. Fresh off an MLS-record trade from the Portland Timbers to FC Cincinnati, Evander posted 33 goal contributions (18g/15a) in 2025, marking his second straight season with 30-plus goal contributions. Only Messi and San Diego FC’s Anders Dreyer boasted more combined goals and assists in this year’s regular season.

Those attacking contributions have mattered more than most, too, thanks to Cincy's penchant for keeping games close.

During the regular season, Pat Noonan’s team won an impressive 20 games. They won a staggering 16 of those by a single goal. Their two postseason wins in a hotly contested Round One series against arch-rivals Columbus Crew? Both came by a single goal. Winning tight is, apparently, the FC Cincinnati way – and it’s made much easier when you have an all-around weapon floating between the lines of your attack.

Among his positional peers on a per-90-minute basis, as per FBref’s data, Evander ranks in the...

Whether on a dead ball or in open play, defenses can’t afford to take their eyes off Evander.

Lionel Messi

Forward · Inter Miami CF

With some players, you have to squint to see their impact. With others, you have to squint so as not to be blinded by the sheer brilliance of their impact. Messi, you won’t be surprised to find out, falls into that second category. It won’t be long until the Argentine icon becomes the first player to win back-to-back Landon Donovan MLS MVP awards. And this season for Inter Miami? He’s been absurdly, historically good.

Only one player in MLS history notched more goal contributions over a single season than Messi did in 2025 – his 48 were one behind Carlos Vela’s miraculous 2019 campaign for LAFC.

Messi has been on another planet all year long, somehow putting together the league’s best-ever individual season for Inter Miami while also experiencing the busiest schedule any MLS team has ever seen. Between their Concacaf Champions Cup run, four games at the FIFA Club World Cup, their Leagues Cup campaign, regular-season play, and advancing in this year’s playoffs, Inter Miami have already played a record 55 games across all competitions.

Messi has been transformative for Miami through it all, including their Round One Best-of-3 Series dispatch of Nashville SC. Whether playing off the right shoulder of Luis Suárez or acting as more of a line-leader amid Suárez’s Game 3 absence, Messi was the most dominant player in any Round One series, boasting a postseason-leading eight goal contributions (5g/3a).

Even with Nashville head coach B.J. Callaghan shifting his team’s defensive shape from a 4-2-2-2 to a 4-3-3 in hopes of keeping Messi quiet through the middle, the No. 10 still took over the series. He may just torment Cincinnati's defense next.

WHO ADVANCES?

FC Cincinnati have a few things going for them in their Eastern Conference Semifinal battle with Inter Miami. They have the luxury of playing at home in front of a raucous TQL Stadium crowd, have a more balanced team that defends with relative consistency from back to front, and picked up four points against Miami across their two regular-season meetings this year (though Messi only played in one of those games).

Still, I can’t get myself to pick against Messi and Inter Miami.

With one of the best attacks MLS has ever seen (they rank third in xG per game in American Soccer Analysis’ entire database, which goes back to 2013), this year’s Miami team can hit a level that none of their peers can, including Cincinnati. As Nashville found out first-hand, Messi can take over a game more quickly than any player this league has ever seen: his opening goal in Game 3 was a moment of individual brilliance.

Plus, while Miami haven’t been perfect on the defensive end in this year’s postseason (see: Rocco Ríos Novo’s penalty concession minutes into Game 2 against Nashville), they've looked more motivated than at almost any other point in the year. Messi & Co. pressed Nashville to great effect to close out their Round One series. If they bring similar energy in Cincinnati, they’ll have the edge.

Make no mistake, though: If the game swings towards Miami, Evander can swing it back. And if the game swings towards Cincinnati? The greatest player of all time can do the same.

FC Cincinnati & Inter Miami set for seismic clash