Give Lionel Messi a two-match week while he's on his FIFA Club World Cup elimination revenge tour and he'll make it impossible to vote for anyone else but him for MLS Player of the Matchday.
That's the reality of the situation faced in this edition of How We Voted, the column that tells you why I voted the way I did for each MLS Player of the Matchday.
This was a unique Wednesday-plus-weekend round of matches, so it technically covered both MLS Matchday 23 and Matchday 24, even though the "Matchday 23" portion of the equation covered a mere two matches played on Wednesday, July 9.
One of those two Wednesday matches featured a certain pink-clad team from Fort Lauderdale, so the schedule gave Messi multiple opportunities to impress in this round of Player of the Matchday voting.
Maybe that gave him an unfair advantage, or maybe Miami still just employs the best soccer player on the planet who even at age-38 is having another MVP-caliber season in MLS.
Either way, Messi made the most of his two matches. Below you can read more about why my latest vote went to the Argentine legend, who placed second on my ballot, and who earned spots in the MLS Team of the Matchday.
The HRB Ballot, Matchday 23 and 24
1. Lionel Messi, Inter Miami CF
Five straight MLS matches with two goals scored for Messi, first player in league history to score multiple goals in five consecutive games.
He was the difference-maker for Inter Miami during their double game week, with his two goals deciding the results in Miami's pair of 2-1 wins, first away to New England Revolution and then home against Nashville SC.
Messi's four goals across the two games weren't all masterpieces, especially his fourth goal, the second he scored against Nashville, which was a straight-up gift from NSC goalkeeper Joe Willis. The other three goals scored, though, were all varying forms of vintage from the Argentine legend.
He beat Willis straight from a free kick early in the win over Nashville, while his two goals against New England exploited breakdowns in the Revolution defense, the first a perfect first-time hit off an errant header into no-man's-land from a New England defender. Messi completed the brace at Gillette Stadium by getting behind a too-high New England defensive line, then powering a shot inside the far post. The goals are all here in this below clip cut by MLS.
Video via @MLS on Twitter
Nashville entered their game against Miami unbeaten in 15 straight matches played across all competitions, and with five straight wins preceding their trip to South Florida. They ran into an unplayable form of the league's top player, though they also helped him out.
There were plenty of other standout performers around the league, but they lacked the two-game combined dominance of Messi. It's maybe slightly unfair given it wasn't a universal two-match week across the league, but it would be too much of a reach to ignore a player constantly banging in two goals game after game.
2. Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United FC
Three goal involvements in a big 4-1 win over San Jose Earthquakes would normally be enough to cast a vote for Tani Oluwaseyi for Player of the Matchday, but he instead settled for the runner-up spot on my ballot. As Luis Enrique, manager of Paris Saint-Germain, said after losing the Club World Cup final: "I'm not a loser. I'm a runner-up. There are no losers in top level football. A loser is someone who doesn't wake up from his bed."
Oluwaseyi definitely woke up from bed for the Quakes match at Allianz Field, as the Canadian striker opened the scoring in the third minute, a classic striker's finish, instinctively directing the ball home with his knee.
He'd then assist on the Kelvin Yeboah goal to make it 2-0, playing a perfectly-lofted cross into the box from out wide that Yeboah powered home with his head – a great view of which was captured by the MNUFC media team, as you get to see Oluwaseyi's enthusiastic celebration of his teammate's goal, teamwork makes the dream work as they say.
He'd add yet another assist late in the second half to widen Minnesota's lead to the 4-1 advantage they'd hold until the final whistle, a bit of unselfish play while in a clear 2-v-1 rush right toward the Quakes' goal.
It's now nine goals and seven assists so far in MLS play for Oluwaseyi, who is driving Minnesota up toward the top of the Western Conference standings – that and their insane success on set pieces.
Official Player of the Matchday: Messi
Don't look now but Miami are only five points off the top of the Eastern Conference with three games in hand on all four of the teams above them in the standings, thanks to their dual involvement in Concacaf Champions Cup and in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Messi and Miami didn't win either of those competitions, but he's clearly still dialed in on MLS success and continues to carry a team that remains leaky defensively despite their five straight MLS wins. With reports intensifying that Miami will add Rodrigo De Paul this summer, there's no reason to believe they won't again finish at or very near the top of the East and will once again be among the favorites to win MLS Cup this winter. Messi shows no signs of slowing down, yet, and it's inarguable that he's deserved to win this latest Player of the Matchday.
Spare a thought for Oluwaseyi, and for Anders Dreyer of San Diego FC, and Marcel Hartel of St. Louis City SC – they had huge performances in their games, but they weren't quite on Messi's level.
MLS Team of the Matchday
Starters: Brad Stuver (ATX) - Luca Bombino (SD), Andreas Maxsø (COL), Max Arfsten (CLB) - Marco Reus (LA), Djordje Mihailovic (COL), Marcel Hartel (STL), Anders Dreyer (SD) - Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Tani Oluwaseyi (MIN), Lionel Messi (MIA)
Coach: Wilfried Nancy (CLB)
Bench: Aljaž Ivačič (NE), Olwethu Makhanya (PHI), Indiana Vassilev (PHI), Albert Rusnák (SEA), Diego Rossi (CLB), Chucky Lozano (SD), Kelvin Yeboah (MIN), William Agada (RSL), Idan Toklomati (CLT)
The attacking players you'd expect made this team, but shoutout to former New York City FC backup goalkeeper Brad Stuver. His elite season continued this past week, as he not only helped Austin FC advance to the US Open Cup semifinals (irrelevant for the purposes of Team of the Matchday), but he also made eight saves in a 0-0 draw against New England Revolution. He's an MLS All-Star for a good reason this year.
