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Legendary football manager Arsene Wenger highlighted Lionel Messi's outsized influence in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Former Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger has dubbed Lionel Messi the most influential player of the tournament after Inter Miami beat incredible odds to reach the knockout round of the Club World Cup.
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Inter Miami delight
The Herons got one of the two host spots on controversial terms. They were grouped with the most dominant African team in history, Al Ahly; Portuguese giants Porto; and the runners-up of the Brazilian league, Palmeiras.
Hence, they were expected to be eliminated in the group stages; however, the Messi-led Miami outfit came moments away from winning the group, as they avoided defeat against all three opponents.
They drew Al Ahly and beat Porto thanks to a spectacular free kick from Messi; but for a remarkable comeback from Palmeiras, they would have come out group winners.
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What Wenger said
Given how the group stage went for the MLS side, Wenger argued that no other player in the competition has been singularly more influential.
“Lionel Messi is the most influential player in this Club World Cup tournament. Without him, Inter Miami would never have qualified,” Wenger said, per Jose Armando.
"There’s an important difference: Michael Olise has the best stats in the tournament and some excellent games, but Bayern would qualify without him, and Inter Miami wouldn’t qualify without Messi."
Inter Miami have already made history with their performance in the competition so far. However, they would have to surmount greater odds than they have managed should they reach the quarter-finals. They face European champions Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16, possibly the best team in the world.
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