⚽️ Messi's Brilliance Makes U.S. Open Cup Must-See

The U.S. Open Cup doesn't get much buzz, but with Lionel Messi there, that will change. [View in browser]( In today’s FOX Sports Insider with Martin Rogers: Lionel Messi draws a lot of attention and playing in the U.S. Open Cup is no different … After an incredible offensive outburst, Miami is taking aim at the NFL record books … and more! The question of how big a difference Lionel Messi can make to American soccer is a two-layered conundrum, part of which must be deferred for years and another level to the puzzler which is being answered right now. If we are talking in overarching, macro terms, who knows what the game as a whole looks like once a decade has gone by and the full impact of Messi's switch to Inter Miami can be accurately felt, like it was with David Beckham before him and hopefully, future worldwide superstars to follow. But if you want to see immediate differences, some tangible proof that things aren't as they were before and have been for a long time, it is right here, the freshest evidence coming this week from a lovely old soccer competition that sadly doesn't get the reverence its antiquity deserves. The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, if we are being even fractionally honest, doesn't register a single blip on the wider American sports radar in any given year. That's because it doesn't even generate much of a glance in the sphere of American soccer, crammed in among other splashier, more coveted trophies. And yet here we are this week and the Open Cup matters, so much in fact that the semifinals were broadcast across 20 foreign countries a month ago. It will matter even more on Wednesday night, when Messi tries to win his 45th career trophy, an extravagant and outrageous number. Manchester City, the reigning English Premier League and Champions League winner, has amassed 33 trophies in its entire 143-year history. Messi makes everything matter because he is living, breathing, goal-scoring history, and his presence ignited a soccer summer in which highlight-reel moments came flashing by with dizzying regularity. For the rest of the story, [click here.]( [STORY IMAGE 1] [IN OTHER WORDS] - The high-scoring Dolphins are the talk of football — outside of Taylor Swift, that is — so how far did they climb in [Bucky Brooks' top 10]( - Despite all their personnel losses, the Philadelphia Eagles are starting to look dominant again — [particularly on the defensive line]( Ralph Vacchiano writes. - While several teams fight for their postseason lives, which contenders offer the most fearsome and formidable lineups heading into October? Rowan Kavner [breaks down the top offenses](. - "I believe" is Colorado's mantra, and with USC coming to town after a blowout loss to Oregon, we get to find out just [how good the ‘Coach’ part of Prime really is](. Bryan Fischer has the story. For the latest news and updates, [click here.]( [VIEWER'S GUIDE] San Diego Padres at San Francisco Giants (MLBN, 9:45 p.m. ET) The Padres aim to keep their playoff hopes alive when they battle the NL West division rival Giants in San Francisco. Houston Astros at Seattle Mariners (TBS, 10:05 p.m. ET) With the season winding down, the Mariners host the Astros with each team fighting for the last potential playoff spot. For all of today's games and scores, [click here](. [BET OF THE DAY] San Francisco 49ers to win Super Bowl LVIII (+600) From FOX Sports NFL Analyst: Bucky Brooks The Brock Purdy-led squad continues to impress. The second-year pro terrorizes opponents as a quick-rhythm distributor, putting the ball into the hands of a dynamic set of playmakers with a knack for finding pay dirt. With a defense that is rounding into form as one of the best units in football, there is not a better overall team in the league than the 49ers. For the latest betting odds, [click here](. [FOLLOW FOX SPORTS] [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( Download FOX Sports App: [Fire TV]( [Roku]( [Google Play]( [App Store]( [Fire TV]( [Roku]( [App Store]( [Google Play]( Also available on these devices: [fireTV | AppleTV | ROKU | Google Chromecast | XBOX ONE | SAMSUNG Smart TV | Vizio | LG Smart TV] [fireTV | AppleTV | ROKU | Google Chromecast | XBOX ONE | SAMSUNG Smart TV | Vizio | LG Smart TV] Trademark & Copyright Notice: ™ and © 2023 Fox Media LLC and FOX Sports Interactive Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Please do not reply to this message. If you do not wish to receive emails like this in the future, please [unsubscribe](. FOX Sports respects your privacy. Click [here]( to view our Privacy Policy. Fox.com Business & Legal Affairs - Manager Digital Media P.O. Box 900 Beverly Hills, California 90213-0900