Lionel Messi Vs Paul Rothrock - MLS Stats Compared As Seattle Sounders Beat Inter Miami In Leagues Cup Final

Before the Leagues Cup final against Inter Miami, Seattle Sounders manager Brian Schmetzer jokingly warned about Paul Rothrock. Now, the midfielder has proven him right, scoring the third goal in the Sounders’ 3-0 win over Messi’s Inter Miami.

Even though Messi lost in the final and, for the first time in over a month, didn’t score, assist, or directly contribute to a goal as a starter, his numbers still outshine Rothrock’s. Of course, both players have very different roles within their teams.

This season in MLS, Messi has 19 goals and 8 assists in 19 games for Inter Miami. Rothrock, meanwhile, has 25 appearances for the Sounders, with three goals and four assists. Before the match, Schmetzer had joked in his pre-match press conference: “Messi is arguably the best player the world has ever seen, but we’ve got Paul Rothrock.”