When Inter Miami entered MLS in 2020—during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic—the club’s journey began under the most unusual circumstances imaginable. Empty stadiums, constantly shifting protocols, and a roster still trying to find its identity defined a debut season that felt more like survival than competition. Add to that the years-long struggle to secure a permanent stadium, filled with political battles, community negotiations, and design revisions, and Miami’s early story felt like an uphill climb with no clear summit.

Five years later, the narrative has flipped: Inter Miami are MLS Cup champions for the first time, and they lifted the trophy with none other than Lionel Messi at the heart of it all.

From instability to a star-studded project

Inter Miami’s early years were marked by inconsistency—coaching changes, roster overhauls, and an unclear direction. Despite the ambition promised by the ownership group led by David Beckham, Miami struggled to build momentum or establish a recognizable style.

Everything changed with a transfer that shook American soccer and global football: the arrival of Lionel Messi.

Soon after, the club added Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and other players whose understanding of Messi’s game was second nature. The result was a team that no longer felt like an expansion project, but rather a polished football organism rebuilt in the image of the great Barcelona sides.

What Miami lacked in its early MLS seasons—identity, cohesion, long-term planning—it found through the familiarity and intelligence of its ex-Barça core.

The Final: a script written for Messi

The 2025 MLS Cup final had tension, questions about Miami’s defense, and the weight of expectation. But it also had Messi—and that alone changes the gravity of any match.

Messi dictated the rhythm, broke defensive lines, and controlled the emotional and tactical pulse of the game. His assist on the opening goal was pure Barça DNA: a threading pass between defenders, perfectly timed for a teammate who has spent years reading his intentions.

The second goal came via a sequence that started with Busquets, transitioned to Alba, and ended with Messi forcing a rebound that was tucked away. It was a reminder of why this trio dominated world football for a decade—and why Miami bet everything on recreating that chemistry in MLS.

Inter Miami, once a club searching for identity, suddenly played like a team born for the big stage.

A project that closes one chapter and opens another

Miami’s title isn’t just a sporting achievement—it’s the culmination of a long, often difficult, organizational journey.

From a temporary stadium in Fort Lauderdale…
to bureaucratic battles over land and zoning…
to rebuilding seasons and roster experimentation…
the club finally landed on a formula that worked:

Build a system around Messi that mirrors the structure and intelligence of his Barcelona heyday.

The ex-Barça spine didn’t just elevate the level of play—it gave Miami personality, tactical memory, and the calm needed to navigate decisive moments.

Conclusion

Inter Miami winning their first MLS Cup is historic. But the significance runs deeper:

It validates the long-term project.
It legitimizes the club’s ambition.
It transforms Miami from a flashy experiment into a true MLS powerhouse.

What began in 2020 under the shadow of a pandemic has blossomed into a championship built on chemistry, experience, and the brilliance of Lionel Messi.

With this title, Messi didn’t just help Miami win—
he helped Miami arrive.