The underdog from Florida: Inter Miami's MLS journey from the bottom to the very top
The match saw Lionel Messi provide a double-assist, which led to Inter Miami defeating Vancouver 3-1.
If you asked any reasonable person from 2023 whether Inter Miami had any shot of winning the Major League Soccer (MLS), a professional soccer league in North America, the answers would probably be a "No" at the very least.
Yet two and a half years later, Inter Miami is celebrating their very first MLS Cup win against Vancouver Whitecaps in a tense final match. The match saw Lionel Messi provide a double-assist, which led to Inter Miami defeating Vancouver 3-1.
The last three years have seen incremental changes from both the team's players and coaching staff alike, bringing changes in tactics and performance to deliver what can be termed as the MLS underdog story.
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Bringing 'the best' to MLS
Since the inception of the club, David Beckham, one of the major co-owners of Inter Miami, had publicly hinted that he wished to bring Messi to his team by publicly acknowledging his admiration for the Argentinian striker.
However, bringing Messi was no easy feat, as Inter Miami provided a huge package ranging from lump sum payments upon signing to revenue and profit-sharing deals that not even the Saudi league could match.
Messi, however, was not the only piece that contributed to Inter Miami's win. Bringing in midfielders like Sergio Busquets and Rodrigo De Paul helped the midfield dominate possession with accurate passes, combining both defensive authority and an ability to initiate attacks.
The addition of Jordi Alba as a left-back with attacking tendencies allowed multiple forward surges in games, creating overloads for Messi's assists. Alba's defensive discipline and final overlaps were crucial in transitions for the team. Luis Suárez's role as a mobile striker in the fluid game plan allowed for constant rotation when the circumstances demanded it.
A change in tactics
However, only the players cannot be credited with such an achievement.
Javier Mascherano, former Barcelona defensive midfielder and Argentina U-20 coach, was instrumental in turning things around after he was picked as the Inter Miami coach.
His tactical framework leveraged the familiarity of former FC Barcelona compatriots Messi, Busquets, Alba, and Suárez, allowing them to play a tried and tested style.
The framework favoured a high-pressing 4-3-3 formation, which switched to a 4-2-3-1 in times of defence that allowed coordinated pressing to regain possession high up the pitch and initiate rapid vertical transitions.
Mascherano changed the defensive tactics as well, compelling players to constantly press to gain possession and adhere to a recovery shape that funnelled pressure toward wide areas for easy clearances.
When opting for key build-up plays, Mascherano preferred key progressive passing, relying on Busquets to drop into the defensive line and initiate attacks through openings.
Besides such changes, Mascherano favoured a meritocratic atmosphere where he was not hesitant in benching star players and allowing lesser-known, well-performing players to get more match time.
Benching veteran goalkeeper Óscar Ustari for the younger, more commanding Rocco Ríos Novo; replacing centre-back Tomás Avilés with the athletic Noah Allen; and sidelining right-back Marcelo Weigandt for the reliable Ian Fray (when healthy) are all decisions that highlighted his insistence on maintaining clean sheets and a strong-performing team.
With a clearer playing identity and a squad built on both experience and form, Inter Miami gradually found more consistency. Mascherano's preference for hard-working players, along with a system based on pressing and quick transitions, shaped the team's overall approach from match to match.
They went from a side struggling near the bottom to one that could manage possession better, defend in a more organised way and create regular chances. Their MLS Cup win marked the outcome of this gradual improvement, reflecting how a defined plan and firm coaching decisions contributed to their progress.
