Inter Miami enjoyed one of their most successful seasons in club history, despite an early exit in the MLS Cup playoffs following a first-round loss to Atlanta United. Lionel Messi and his teammates secured the Supportersā Shield and set a new record for the most points in an MLS regular season. However, former USMNT star Herculez Gomez voiced harsh criticism of Messi and Miamiās performance.
āInter Miami has the best player of all time on their roster, who, by the way, is league MVP. They gave you the keys to the kingdomānot to bow out in three games to Atlanta United, a 9th-place team coached by Rob Valentino, who was no longer even the interim coach. In three games, they couldnāt beat Brad Guzan,ā he said on ESPNās Futbol Americas podcast.
He continued, āItās one of the biggest failures in MLS history, and you damn well know it. Every exec, including Don Garber, was pulling their hair out. You had one job. Itās one of the biggest failures Iāve seen in North American sports in quite some time.ā
Despite the criticism, Messi delivered an exceptional season, leading MLS with 36 goal contributions (20 goals, 16 assists) in just 19 matches (1,485 minutes), the fifth-highest single-season total in league history. This achievement came despite injuries and international duty for the Copa AmƩrica.
Following Inter Miamiās elimination, Messi posted an optimistic message on Instagram: āWeāve finished a season where we continued to grow as a club, and although we achieved some goals, we wanted more. Thank you to everyone who supported and stood by us. Now, weāll prepare to come back stronger next year.ā Currently, the 37-year-old is on vacation with his family and will return in January to begin pre-season training for the 2025 MLS campaign.
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Report: Lionel Messiās Inter Miami to transfer more key players to bring Neymar
Miamiās challenging 2025 schedule
Inter Miamiās 2025 season promises to be demanding. Alongside their MLS commitments from February to October, the team will compete in three additional tournaments. Their CONCACAF Champions Cup journey begins with opening-round matches in February, followed by the Leagues Cup in July and August, which features teams from MLS and Liga MX.
The highlight of their calendar will be the FIFA Club World Cup, where Miami will face some of the worldās top clubs. Miami will start their participation at home against Saudi Arabiaās Al Ahly.
Who will Miami face during the preseason?
Inter Miamiās pre-season schedule includes historic matchups. For the first time, they will face two-time Liga MX champion Club AmĆ©rica on Saturday, Jan. 18, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, marking Miamiās debut in the city. Additionally, the club will meet Orlando City SC on Friday, Feb. 14, at the 75,000-capacity Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
