It looked like Inter Miami’s season was hanging on by a thread going into the half, trailing Porto on Thursday at the Club World Cup, but following halftime adjustments and a free kick golazo from Lionel Messi, the Herons have done something that no MLS team has ever done before. Miami have not only secured a win at the Club World Cup, becoming the first MLS team to ever accomplish that feat, but they’ve also set up a scenario where they’ll likely make the round of 16, as long as they don’t lose facing Brazilian side Palmeiras while seeing Porto lose to Al Ahli.
Messi’s 50th goal for the club couldn’t have come at a better time or have been more fitting than a go-ahead free kick. It may be tough to judge the level of competition at the Club World Cup, but it’s a moment that shows MLS teams can compete with the world’s best teams despite not having the same depth and resources. Things are certainly easier with Messi on your roster, but at no point was this an easy victory for the Herons.
They were lucky to go into the half only trailing by a goal as Porto were dominating in every aspect of play but didn’t get the all-important second goal. Credit must be given to Javier Mascherano as Miami adjusted after the half and immediately scored in the 47th minute, changing the feel of the entire match. This is the biggest role that Mascherano has held as a manager so far, and expectations couldn’t be higher, Miami being a team that is expected to win the MLS Cup.
Wins like this one show that he may be able to reach those expectations while growing as a manager by the day. Choices like moving Ian Fray to center back and bringing Benjamin Cremaschi into the midfield helped make the difference and helped push the Herons to a victory alongside the brilliance of Messi. Of course, the job is far from done since Miami still need to take care of business and advance in the tournament, but it shows the growth of MLS in such a short time.
It’s only the second time that MLS has had representatives at the Club World Cup, following the Seattle Sounders taking part in the 2022 edition, but when Seattle did it, they were unable to pick up a victory. Miami didn’t have to qualify, getting selected as a host-designated team, but by defeating Porto, they’ve also shown that they deserve to be in this tournament. It’s a landmark moment for the league and one that shows where things could end up in the future.
Three MLS teams are in this tournament as star power has grown around the league, and more MLS teams still need to follow in the footsteps of the Sounders and win Concacaf Champions Cup to earn their berths in the Club World Cup. But with soccer in America at a tipping point ahead of the United States, Mexico, and Canada hosting the 2026 World Cup, all eyes are on what can be done by MLS in an effort to continue to grow the game across the country.
More stars will still likely continue to join the league, and more strong academy prospects like Cremaschi will continue to come along, so while Miami may have been the first MLS team to beat a European side in a competitive fixture, they certainly won’t be the last. The league will need more depth to keep this up, which will require at least raising the salary cap along with a possible switch of the season to follow the European calendar, but participation in tournaments like the Club World Cup can show why ownership should spend more and allow players and teams to show that the league is truly growing.
With around a billion dollars in prize money available and teams earning more money with each win, the Club World Cup can be more lucrative than winning MLS Cup for multiple seasons. There may be unresolved issues with how much money players will see from this competition, but the opportunities are there to take clubs to the next level. Miami have shown a path, they’ve proven a point, and if they can keep up this performance, this could be MLS, with their biggest star, announcing their arrival on a global stage.
How to watch the Club World Cup on DAZN
All matches will be airing for free on the DAZN app. From the group stage through the final, the games will stream around the world with no cost to access it. Click here to watch DAZN for free.
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