How Inter Miami Can Avoid Total Embarrassment in the Club World Cup

When Gianni Infantino proudly declared in October 2024 that Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami squad would participate in his much-anticipated FIFA Club World Cup, it raised a few eyebrows.

If Infantino’s intention was to orchestrate a showdown between Argentine World Cup hero Messi and his longtime adversary, Cristiano Ronaldo, it seems that plan has taken a severe hit, with reports suggesting the Portuguese star will most likely miss the tournament.

Regardless, many felt that Inter Miami’s qualification for the CWC was unwarranted, given they only snagged the MLS Supporters’ Shield—which is awarded to the team with the best regular-season record.

Did Inter Miami earn their spot in the Club World Cup?

The Herons were eliminated in the opening round of the MLS Cup playoffs, lost to Columbus Crew in the Round of 16 during the Leagues Cup, and were knocked out in the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup—notably, competitions which many argue hold greater prestige than the Supporters’ Shield.

The announcement that they would kick off the tournament against Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium felt underwhelming to most football fans, with even Messi chuckling at Infantino’s desperate efforts to generate interest among local supporters.

Whether justified or not, David Beckham’s franchise finds itself in the mix with some of the best teams globally, although it’s fair to say they would have preferred to maintain last year’s form.

Inter’s erratic performance under Javier Mascherano

Currently, under new head coach Javier Mascherano, Inter Miami’s form has been inconsistent.

From a resounding 5-1 victory against Columbus Crew to a stinging 4-1 loss to Minnesota United, the team’s performances have varied wildly this season.

In fact, they haven’t managed a clean sheet in their last ten outings, with the opposition scoring a minimum of two goals in eight of them.

If not for Messi (with 21 goals and 11 assists) and Luis Suarez (also 21 goals, nine assists), the Herons could be facing an even dire situation.

Taylor Twellman’s critique of tactical setup

MLS analyst Taylor Twellman has been vocal about his discontent regarding the tactical approach under Mascherano.

“They concede chances to any team they face, and Mascherano’s rigid tactical formations leave them vulnerable,” he stated.

“Starting with players like Messi, Suarez, and (Sergio) Busquets, who are not known for their defensive aggression, puts them at a significant disadvantage.”

“The Club World Cup is likely to prove challenging for them, and if it goes badly, they’ll need to make adjustments during the summer transfer window.”

“Mascherano must rethink his tactical setup to bolster their defensive capabilities.”

Inadequate defensive stability

Supporting Twellman’s claims, it’s noteworthy that Suarez has only completed three tackles this season, while Messi, with 20, still lags far behind Diego Gomez’s 55 and Marcelo Weigandt’s 62.

Inter Miami’s defensive frailties have been evident in various matches, showing a clear need for improvement.

In interceptions, Tomas Aviles tops the charts with 42, followed by Yannick Bright at 34, and Busquets, unsurprisingly, with 32.

Winning possession in the midfield, particularly in Busquets’ area, seems to be crucial to Inter’s approach, evidenced by his impressive 75.8% pass completion rate, one of the best on the team.

Additionally, his tally of passes (2,215) is far superior to anyone else’s, highlighting his significant influence on the side.

Alba’s relentless push may leave Inter Miami vulnerable

Jordi Alba’s impressive total of 1,894 passes is nearly double that of Messi’s 989. However, his merits should ideally be coupled with defensive effectiveness to mitigate the team’s goal concessions (27 goals in 16 MLS matches, tied for worst among the top eight teams in the Eastern Conference).

When facing teams like Porto and Palmeiras (and, to a lesser extent, Al Ahly), Inter Miami could find themselves inadequately defended, leading to potential embarrassment.

This concern underscores the need for the tactical adjustments Twellman recommends, advocating for Alba to take up a wing-back role instead of merely a left winger.

It’s prevalent that having former Barcelona standout Alba advanced in the midfield leaves young left-back Noah Allen exposed defensively.

However, this appears to be just one of Mascherano’s many challenges. Yet, should they win their game in hand, they may find themselves only two points behind the Eastern Conference leaders, Philadelphia Union.

In terms of the Club World Cup, it’s evident that Infantino and FIFA would benefit greatly from Messi’s prolonged involvement in the tournament. Unfortunately, for a multitude of reasons, that seems more like wishful thinking.

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