Lionel Messi's message was one of defiance. The Inter Miami forward took to social media to address his side's 2-1 series loss to Atlanta United in the first round of MLS play-offs - the biggest upset in the history of Major League Soccer's postseason - and said all of the right things. He referenced the growth of the club, the accomplishments during the regular season, the support of the fans.
But he also pledged to return stronger. It was all a bit cliche, but Miami, we are led to believe, will have Messi back for 2025.
For the sake of MLS - if nothing else - Messi's message was a good thing. A growing league will still have its global superstar available to it for marketing purposes. Still, for Miami this loss to a team that barely edged its way into the play-offs via a wildcard was symptomatic of a wider problem in South Beach that has been brought on by Messi's presence.
Even though he missed significant time with an ankle injury, Messi still did his bit in the regular season, as did the stars around him, leading Miami to the Supporters' Shield with a record 74 points. But so much of this build was focused on the brand, be it the acquisition of big names or the hiring of a marquee coach. Someone, somewhere didn't say enough about how a roster should be pieced together for playoff success.
Miami, the brand, will survive this shock defeat. But Miami, the team, have some serious retooling to do if they want to avoid a similar fate next season.