The Porto vs Inter Miami game, a Group A second-round game in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, is not as simple as it seems. On Thursday in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Messi will of course be in the spotlight, but so too will an American club seeking to show that it is as good as it claims it is.
Following a goalless draw against Al Ahly, Javier Mascherano's team is in a position of pressure. Porto, who held their first game against Palmeiras, is not an exception. The winner leads the group and makes a gigantic leap for the knockout stage. But the loser makes it a tougher trip.
Messi, Suárez, and the weight of expectation
Inter Miami has never hidden its grand plan. Messi's unveiling was the center of a marketing, infrastructure, and identity revolution. But when things get underway, the issue is a different story. The side lost against Al Ahly. It was at times outplayed and reliant on Ustari, who stood tall by keeping out a penalty to preserve the 0-0 draw. Messi and Suárez created very little and proved that, while they have genius as individuals, there is not enough team cohesion in order to deal with better opposition.
Porto nowadays is a side that demands more. A classic club, solid base, and players aware how to shine when the pressure is on. Messi has faced Porto only one time, in 2011, in the UEFA Super Cup. He scored, assisted, and made the difference.
Now, at 37, it's different. The Argentine remains the most dreaded name, but is now reliant on an inconsistent team. The Club World Cup is an opportunity to prove critics wrong and demonstrate that, even thousands of miles away from the top leagues of Europe, he's still capable of delivering in high-stakes games.
Porto is counting on squad cohesion to prevent Inter Miami
The draw against Palmeiras was not exciting, but it showed a Porto who would not give an inch. Cláudio Ramos was solid in goal, the defence was tight, and the midfield shut off the Palmeiras attack. No creativity, okay, but there was discipline. And maybe that could be the difference with an Inter team who love the ball but are unable to handle it when they can't have it.
Porto realize it's no single man-marking that will halt Messi. You must shut down passing options, strangle build-up, and take away space. The admiration that some Porto players have for Messi is warranted. That is in the dressing room. On the pitch, it's a mission of silencing the legend and winning.