Not even Messi can bridge the gap between PSG, Inter Miami
ATLANTA — As many predicted, Paris Saint-Germain triumphed over Inter Miami CF in the Club World Cup round of 16 to advance to the quarterfinals, winning 4-0 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday. The reigning champions of Europe showcased the elegant style of football played under manager Luis Enrique, breaking through Miami’s lines with precise passing and perfectly positioned players.
It took PSG only three minutes to force Inter goalkeeper Oscar Ustari into making the first save of the afternoon, and five minutes before they’d found the back of the net. A free kick from just outside the box by Vitinha proved to be the perfect assist for João Neves to score the opener.
The offensive dominance continued, as PSG concluded the game with 19 shots and nine on target. With a little more luck in the finish, Paris Saint-Germain could have netted more than the four they put on the scoreboard.
Inter Miami initially reacted as predicted, defending as much as possible to hold back the onslaught and avoid international embarrassment, but by halftime the scoreboard read 4-0.
Not even Lionel Messi could bridge the talent deficit between MLS’ biggest glamour club and Europe’s elite. The famous No. 10 can conjure magic from a tiny bit of space or rocket a game-winning free kick, but more often than not, he cannot triumph alone. Although he won the game against FC Porto for Miami, he required help against the UEFA Champions League titleholders, and no one else in pink stepped up to the necessary level.
Before leaving his post as Inter coach, Gerardo “Tata” Martino voiced concerns over Major League Soccer’s roster restrictions, warning that the strict rules work only to hinder the teams on an international setting. Although Martino was referring to the Concacaf Champions Cup after falling to Monterrey in the quarterfinals, his point remains.
Prior to the inaugural Club World Cup match, Martino’s successor, Javier Mascherano, complained about the club’s lack of transfer business ahead of the competition. The league’s inflexible system and the tight transfer window provided to teams by FIFA left Inter Miami at a disadvantage.
“Injuries have exposed our depth,” Mascherano said. “Obviously, we know about the restrictions MLS imposes that don’t allow us to compete at the economic level we would like, but we have to go into tomorrow’s match and give it our all with the players we have.”
The MLS roster system and designated player structure give way for squads to often seem imbalanced. Miami, like many teams across the North American league, allocates more resources to a small group of players and then signs a supporting cast to complete the lineup. In this case, Messi, Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets lead the way for the Herons, while Benjamin Cremaschi, Federico Redondo, Noah Allen and Marcelo Weigandt step in to help.
Even Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas reiterated the need for a change within the league.
“Roster flexibility is something that we’ve worked on and will continue to work on in order to allow us to have deeper rosters,” Mas said to ESPN before the tournament started. “The difference between our teams and some of the teams that we face in international competitions is not necessarily our starting 11, but when you go to the bench … is the difference between our starters and our subs who are coming in to make an impact that is different.”
Spectators saw it against Palmeiras, when substitutions were made to give starters a reprieve from the exhaustion of 65-plus minutes in Miami’s sweltering afternoon heat, which ultimately cost Inter a 2-0 lead in what was eventually a 2-2 draw. The issue reappeared against PSG.
Inter suffered a blow to their back line when Allen pulled up with an injury in the 19th minute. The 21-year-old academy graduate, who stood as an integral part of Mascherano’s lineup after playing all three Club World Cup matches, was replaced by Tomás Avilés. The new addition to the 11 struggled, earning a yellow card just seconds after entering the pitch before scoring an own goal in the first half.
With several other players out with various injuries, Mascherano didn’t have anyone else to turn to, and there were consequences. Cremaschi then replaced Telasco Segovia in the second half and struggled to command the left wing.
The MLS setup might work against other teams within the league, but the game against PSG once again exposed the divide between European and American soccer. Nevertheless, Inter Miami should walk away proud. Not because of their play in the 4-0 defeat to PSG, but in the growth they’ve showcased on a global stage as a club that’s only in its sixth season of play.
The Herons earned a ticket to the tournament after winning the 2024 Supporters’ Shield and setting the MLS record for most points recorded in a single season. Miami then entered the Club World Cup with an underdog mentality before going on to draw against Egyptian team Al Ahly and Brazilian giants Palmeiras and stun Porto in a 2-1 victory.
The Seattle Sounders and LAFC came in last place in their respective groups, while Mascherano’s side became the only MLS team to qualify for the knockout stage of the tournament. It did so as the youngest team in the entire competition.
Inter gave fans moments of pure joy, in that Messi goal against Porto and when dominating against Palmeiras. Even against PSG, Inter managed bursts of energy that led to three shots on target, coaxing thousands of fans out of their seats in anticipation of a goal.
Now, Inter return home after being eliminated by the reigning champions of Europe and a team Alba labeled the current best in the entire world with an immense number of lessons learned.
“Honestly, for me, they’re the best footballers these days, and I know how they work because I’ve had [Luis Enrique] as a coach, and I know that if you don’t run, you’re not going to play,” Alba said of PSG after the match. “In the end, that’s the beauty of football, the hardest part because not all teams make it through, very few do. I think only [Luis Enrique’s] team makes it through because he’s fully committed to them, because anyone who doesn’t run doesn’t play, and from then on, obviously, it becomes much easier for them.”
Cremaschi, Allen and Ian Fray worked up through Inter’s academy to make the senior team, never before facing a club outside of the Concacaf region in a competitive setting before participating in the Club World Cup. Now, they boast the experience of defending and playing against Champions League winners and some of the best figures in the Copa Libertadores.
“With [Messi’s] arrival, it’s opened many doors for everyone, and obviously, many more people are looking up to the young Miami players,” Alba said of the trio. “Also with [Suárez’s] arrival and with [Busquets’] arrival, we’re trying to help all the young players grow, evolve and learn a lot for tomorrow.
“And it’s what I said before: I think we’ve been better than the three matches played by our three group rivals. And in the end, I always say we’re all human, and some are better or worse, but I think they’ve lived up to expectations and that they have to look and see that they can also take that step forward because they’ve been able to be better in our matches.”
At several points throughout this tournament, Inter Miami lived up to the pressure of the world’s biggest stage and shined. The team must now put the new wealth of knowledge and experience to use in MLS, Leagues Cup and Concacaf Champions Cup action to qualify for the next edition of this tournament and continue to grow.
Not all seems lost after a 4-0 humbling at the hands of the kings of Europe, but the world of North American football awaits, and now Inter Miami must apply what they’ve learned and dominate.