America’s professional soccer league, Major League Soccer (MLS) is currently in its post-season, with the first round just concluded. Inter Miami was the heavy favorite going into the playoffs; Inter Miami set an MLS record for regular season performance and rosters one of the greatest players of all time, Lionel Messi, along with many high-profile players. In the first round, they were playing Atlanta United, a team that had only a 10% chance to make the playoffs on the last day of the regular season and was the lowest seeded team in the playoffs. Everyone was predicting an Inter Miami blowout in the best-of-three series.
The first game went as predicted, with Inter Miami cruising to a comfortable victory at home. Game 2, however, was a different story. Playing in front of a raucous, sold-out crowd in Atlanta, United scored a last-minute goal to win the game and tie the series 1–1. Game 3, played November 9 in Miami, was quite the battle. After Miami opened the scoring, Atlanta scored two goals in three minutes to take the lead. After Miami tied the game in the second half, Atlanta rallied to retake the lead and eventually won the game and the series, ending Miami’s season.
Many people are calling Atlanta’s series win the biggest upset in MLS history, given the regular season success of Miami compared to Atlanta and the star power of Miami’s roster. (To highlight that second point, Messi’s total compensation from this season was about $5 million more than the entire Atlanta United payroll.)
This result serves as a powerful reminder that while individual talent can be a game-changer, such talent doesn’t always guarantee success in high-stakes moments. Talent can shine in flashes, but most often, the teams that come together and believe in each other earn the victory. On the night of the game, neither Messi’s magic nor the high-profile names around him made the difference; rather, Atlanta United’s collective spirit, grit, and unrelenting work ethic won the day. Atlanta’s performance was a testament to the importance of chemistry, discipline, and hard work. The United truly were that: united. They didn’t rely on a single star to carry them; instead, every player stepped up, showing that sometimes, the sum of the parts can be more impactful than the brilliance of one individual.
These are important lessons for anyone trying to build high performing teams within their organization. Leaders need to understand that success is not just about assembling a roster of world-class talent; instead, success hinges on building a team wherein all individuals give effort for one another, trust one another, and believe in the shared goal. Atlanta United proved that even when facing an opponent’s roster of superstars, the values of teamwork, heart, and determination can prevail. Team builders, take note!
Talent vs Teamwork was originally published in Horizon Performance on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
