Inter Miami arrive at their first Club World Cup as the most talked-about team in the tournament, thanks largely to the presence of Lionel Messi. But while star power isn’t in short supply, defensive struggles, an inexperienced coach and a brutal group draw raise serious questions about how far this team can actually go.
1) Who will Inter Miami face at the Club World Cup?
Inter Miami have been drawn into Group A and these are their group stage fixtures:
14 June: vs Al Ahly. Hard Rock Stadium, Miami.
19 June: vs Porto. Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta.
23 June: vs Palmeiras. Hard Rock Stadium, Miami.
2) Early MLS history
Inter Miami joined Major League Soccer as an expansion club as recently as 2020, playing just two matches before the league, and the entire world, shutdown for four months due to Covid-19.
Given the pandemic, the 2020 MLS season should be taken with a pinch of salt, but the Herons finished 19th in the overall standings, before actually ending up a place lower a year later. In 2022, by finishing sixth, they qualified for the play-offs proper for the very first time, albeit Phil Neville's team were swatted aside 3-0 by NYCFC. In short, after three seasons, this was a club going nowhere fast.
3) Success since Messi's arrival
Suffice to say, everything changed in July 2023 when Lionel Messi arrived in Miami. Neville was fired and Tato Martino, who had been his manager at Barcelona and Argentina, was swiftly appointed.
On debut, Messi scored a stunning 94th minute free-kick to snatch victory over Cruz Azul in Fort Lauderdale, with his first-ever tournament landing Miami's maiden major silverware, capturing Leagues Cup, defeating Nashville on penalties in the final in Tennessee. They also reached the U.S. Open Cup, but were beaten in the final by Houston Dynamo as an injured Messi watched on.
Last year, Messi's first full campaign in South Florida, very much produced a mixed outcome. In the regular season, the Herons won 22 of their 34 matches, finishing eight points clear at the top of the standings, thereby capturing the Supporters' Shield and setting the single-season points record. However, this was largely forgotten when Miami were bounced by Atlanta United in the first round of the play-offs, defeated in a best of three series, statistically the biggest upset in post-season history.
4) Chaotic 2025 campaign
Having been largely dominated for much of 2024, Inter Miami were hoping to build on that this year, but that, so far, has not gone to plan. In fairness, they did save their most comprehensive display of the campaign so far for last, steamrollering Columbus Crew 5-1 at home last time out on 31 May.
However, that was the first time the Herons had claimed back-to-back victories in MLS since March, conceding four during recent defeats at the hands of both FC Dallas and Minnesota United.
This leaves them third in the Eastern Conference, five points adrift leaders Philadelphia Union, which is far from catastrophic, Nevertheless, to match last year's record-breaking points tally, they'd need to collect 45 points from the remaining 54 available, underlining their downturn.
Earlier in the campaign, Miami were prioritising the CONCACAF Champions Cup, having been dumped out in last season's quarter-finals by Monterrey. They year, they did get one step further, only to be smashed 5-1 on aggregate by Vancouver Whitecaps, which was a monumental upset.
5) Past Club World Cup expirence
Inter Miami will make their Club World Cup debut this summer.
6) Inter Miami players to watch: Lionel Messi
It's impossible to avoid talking about Lionel Messi when discussing this team, so here we are again!
In 59 appearances for the club, the Argentine has scored 49 goals and 24 assists, bagging two of each against Columbus last time out, his second brace in four days. Overall, the 37 year old averages a goal every 97 minutes in Miami pink, scoring 15 times this calendar year already, so they will need Messi to be at his exhilarating best to stand any chance of winning a match at the Club World Cup.
7) Inter Miami players to watch: Luis Suárez
There is now a contingent of former Barça boys in South Florida. Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets are both worth acknowledging, but it is the form of Luis Suárez that warrants further discussion.
During his debut campaign at Miami, after arriving from Grêmio, the Uruguayan scored 25 goals in 37 appearances across all competitions, which is a goal ever 112 minutes on average. This year however, this figure has sky-rocketed to a goal every 211 minutes, despite the fact Suárez has scored three times across his last two matches, bagging a brace against CF Montréal, before adding another during the aforementioned 5-1 demolition of the Crew.
Nevertheless, Suárez has scored five goals in just two Club World cup appearances to date, scoring a hat-trick against Guangzhou Evergrande and then two more when his Barcelona team faced River Plate in the 2015 final. The now 38 year old will do well to improve that ratio this summer.
8) Inter Miami players to watch: Óscar Ustari
While we've so far spotlighted two of Miami's world-famous stars, it is worth mentioning their less-known goalkeeper, given that his form has to be a concern. Óscar Ustari arrived from Chilean outfit Audax Italiano last summer and has established himself as the number one this year, despite the fact Drake Callender had been excellent throughout 2024.
Well, the 38 year old has been a key factor behind Miami's downturn in form. According to FBref, Ustari has the second-lowest save % of any goalkeeper in MLS this season who has faced 40 or more shots, while he also ranks second last for post-shot xG - goals allowed (minimum seven appearances). Given that Inter Miami will be underdogs in every match they play this summer, the fact that their veteran goalkeeper, who may or may not have been signed because he is Messi's friend, who is to say, isn't saving very many shots will be a massive problem!
9) Manager Javier Mascherano: already under pressure?
Further evidence that Messi calls the shots in Miami is the fact that, after Tata Martino resigned, Javier Mascherano was appointed head coach, having only previously been in charge of Argentina's youth teams. So far, without being too unkind, the rookie coach appears out of his depth, struggling to manage ex-teammates and friends, so doesn't appear set to be in the position for very long.
10) Can Inter Miami get out of the group?
Inter Miami will feature in the tournament's curtain raiser against Al Ahly, before facing Porto in Atlanta and then Palmeiras back in South Florida.
There will obviously be a lot of hype about this team, but it would be a major shock if they were not eliminated in the group phase. Having conceded three or more goals in six of their last nine matches, Mascherano's side appear completely ill-equipped to compete at this level.